Protestant accuses Queen's of unfairness

A PROTESTANT, who has begun a religious discrimination cases against Queen's University, Belfast, claims he was consistently …

A PROTESTANT, who has begun a religious discrimination cases against Queen's University, Belfast, claims he was consistently passed over for promotion.

Mr Ronald Jackson, a chartered accountant who has worked at the university for 34 years, said yesterday his career was destroyed as QUB sought to improve the ratio of Catholic employees.

But a barrister representing the university argued that Mr Jackson's career failed to progress because of his lack of ability.

Mr Jackson, who is representing himself at the Fair Employment Tribunal, has subpoenaed the vice chancellor, Sir Gordon Beveridge, and the senior pro chancellor, Mr John D. McGuckian, to answer questions about university policy.

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His case centres on complaints that the former bursar, Mr David Gass, also a Protestant, had ignored his requests to take on more responsibility and undertake further training.

Mr Neil Drennan, the barrister for Queen's, said Mr Jackson was a low achiever transferred from the post of internal auditor to the bursar's office because of complaints that his work was unreliable. He suggested that the complainant had harboured resentment against the bursar because his career had accelerated.

The hearing continues.