A Traveller woman has lost a Supreme Court appeal challenging the admissions policy of the Christian Brothers High School in Clonmel in Co Tipperary.

In an important test case, Mary Stokes had argued that the policy, which prioritises the sons of old pupils, amounted to indirect discrimination in relation to her son John who was refused a place in the Christian Brothers High School in 2009.

Mary Stokes brought a case to the Equality Tribunal which found her son had been indirectly discriminated against.

It was argued only 10 per cent of John's fathers' generation attended school at secondary level.

But the school won a succession of appeals first to the Circuit Court, then the High Court and finally today at the Supreme Court.

Brigid Quilligan of the Irish Traveller Movement said she is optimistic that legislative change is on the way.

Our Courts Correspondent Francesca Comyn reports: