A woman who alleged before the Equality Tribunal that her employer "Mr A" "consistently made remarks about her religion, using the term 'Black Protestant' and telling her that Roman Catholicism was the only true faith", has failed to prove discrimination and harassment on the grounds of religion.
"Ms C" also claimed that Mr A informed her she should convert to Roman Catholicism and referred to her religion as a "schism". She told the tribunal Mr A was of the belief that because she was a Church of Ireland member, it was acceptable to make derogatory remarks about her religion.
"It is her further belief that if she had been a Roman Catholic, Mr A would not have made these comments," said a report of the Equality Tribunal hearing in the case published yesterday.
Mr A rejected the allegations of discrimination and harassment on religious grounds. He denied making remarks on her religion or using the term"Black Protestant"
He said the term "schism" referred to a discussion he had with Ms C at the time of Pope John Paul II's death. He claimed she had said then that the level of coverage of the Pope's death was discriminatory against Protestants, and that the town in which both resided was a Protestant town. Ms C denied ever saying this about the town, pointing out to the tribunal that its Church of Ireland community made up just 5 per cent of its population.
He also denied making constant reference to her religion.
The tribunal found Ms C had failed to establish a prima facieclaim of discriminatory treatment or harassment on the grounds of religion. Ms C's complaints about such discrimination were just some among a lengthy list which included allegations that she had been subjected to "discriminatory treatment, discriminatory dismissal, harassment, sexual harassment . . . on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status and religion."
She failed to prove any of the allegations to the satisfaction of the Equality Tribunal.