Catholic job case settled

The University of Ulster has paid Pounds 7,500 compensation in a religious discrimination case. The case, involving Gerald Doherty, a part-time adult education lecturer, had been due to run all week at a Fair Employment Tribunal in Belfast but was settled before the hearing began on Monday.

Mr Doherty had claimed that he was discriminated against in 1990 when he was employed as a community development worker in Lemadoon in West Belfast and was not shortlisted for an adult education vacancy. Mr Doherty alleged he had not been shortlisted because of his religion. He is a Catholic.

The university accepted that its recruitment procedure had been deficient in the case and fell short of its own stated policy.

UU has agreed to initiate a detailed analysis in conjunction with the Fair Employment Commission to ensure its procedures conform with the code of practice within three months.

The university denied it had acted unlawfully. Mr Doherty said he was delighted at the outcome.