Do employers have a free hand when deciding who to hire? ⚓︎

Largely.  There is a prohibition on discrimination in hiring staff but that aside, Irish employers can generally choose who they wish to employ.

What is the prohibition on discrimination? ⚓︎

The Employment Equality Act, 1998 prohibits discrimination in the workplace. The scope of the Act is wide enough to apply to hiring.  In practical terms, this means that an employer cannot discriminate on any of the grounds laid out in the Act.

What are the discriminatory grounds? ⚓︎

There are nine of these:-

1. Gender
2. Age
3. Race
4. Religion
5. Sexual orientation
6. Family status
7. Civil status
8. Disability
9. Membership of the travelling community

Is this a closed list?  ⚓︎

For now, yes,