THE Northern Ireland Economy Minister is resisting calls by nationalist politicians for her resignation amid claims that her office broke British government guidelines on fair employment.
The SDLP and Sinn Fein say Baroness Denton must resign after the guidelines were allegedly brow ken in the appointment of her felling private secretary.
The minister usually selects the successful candidate from a shortlist drawn up by civil servants.
It is made up of people who have expressed an interest in the job. However, Baroness Denton chose a woman not on the list.
The woman had been her departmental private secretary in the Belfast office of the Department Economic Development but was on sick leave when applications were first sought.
While this is not illegal, it is believed to be contrary to the Fair Employment Code of Practice. Although it is not being suggested that discrimination occurred, it is believed that handling of the case would make the appointment difficult to defend if challenged on the grounds of religious discrimination.
Baroness Denton is already under pressure over her handling of a sectarian harassment case in her office at the Department of Agriculture.
The Protestant perpetrator of the harassment was allowed to remain in her post while the Catholic victim was transferred, contrary to Northern Ireland Office regulations which state that the instigator should be moved.
MacBride Principles campaigners are due to raise the incident in the US Congress this week. As Baroness Denton is the minister responsible for fair employment, this latest controversy has increased calls for her resignation.
However, an NIO spokesman said that she had no intention of standing down. He refused to comment on whether the NIO recognised that it had broken its own guidelines.
The SDLP deputy leader, Mr Seamus Mallon, said that while Baroness Denton was one of the North's "good ministers", her position was untenable and she should resign. Sinn Fein president Mr Gerry Adams also demanded that she stand down.
But the Ulster Unionists and the DUP urged her to stay. DUP councillor Mr Sammy Wilson said that she had a devotion to the job "shown by very few other ministers" and that she should not capitulate to "republican whingers".