An academic who was forced to quit as a university vice chancellor amid allegations of harassing staff and attending meetings under the influence of alcohol today faced demands to step down from another role.
Prof Gerry McKenna has denied the claims,which also include allegations of lax financial control, made against him by staff at the University of Ulster.
There is a moral question in all this for someone who an independent inquiry has found has prima facie cases to answer in four of the five allegations made against himSammy Wilson
But it emerged today that a report carried out by British Parliamentary Ombudsman Sir Michael Buckley that he had a case to answer in four of the five complaints made against him.
Democratic Unionist MP Sammy Wilson said the report made it untenable for Prof McKenna to continue in the less influential post of university president which he accepted after stepping down as vice chancellor.
The East Antrim MP, who has tabled parliamentary questions on the issue, said: “There is a moral question in all this for someone who an independent inquiry has found has prima facie cases to answer in four of the five allegations made against him.
“Many people will find it staggering that he is able to remain in the post of university president with early pension arrangements when there have been complaints against him."
Details of the allegation against Prof McKenna emerged today after a Belfast High Court judge overturned an injunction against the Belfast Telegraphnewspaper, preventing it from releasing the report.
Mr Justice Higgins said the balance in the case fell in favour of freedom of speech as opposed to the university's right to confidentiality.
It is alleged Prof McKenna attended seven meetings between May 7th and November 15th, 2004, under the influence of alcohol.
Staff members also claimed that Prof McKenna belittled them in front of colleagues, refusing to take points during university meetings and sometimes ignoring what was said.
The Buckley Report also said the academic had a case to answer over claims that there was lax financial reporting, with no evidence of a tendering process for at least two companies who had been awarded contracts for work at the university.
Prof McKenna denied the allegations that consumption of alcohol had impaired him and explained that a heart disorder may have caused him to be irritable and general malaise.
He insisted that in the five years he had been vice chancellor, the university's performance, standing and finances had improved.
He said he was also unaware of the complaints by staff until they were raised with the council of the university in November 2004 and noted a month earlier, he had received a 15 per cent salary increase.
PA