The chairwoman of an employment tribunal yesterday called for an end to "loose talk" about ethnic minorities not getting justice.
Ms Dymphna Cusack said Prince Ademola Adekoya, who is taking a constructive dismissal case against IBM Ireland, would get a fair hearing at the Employment Appeal tribunal.
"There is a lot of loose talk going around about black people not getting justice. I wouldn't like the integrity of this tribunal to be called into question," she said.
Mr Adekoya (44) from Castlepark, Athy, Co Kildare, is alleging that he was racially discriminated against by IBM Ireland when he was overlooked for promotion for four years. The company denies the allegations.
The hearing was halted several times as Mr Adekoya's friends objected to questions put to him during cross-examination by IBM's representatives.
Ms Cusack reassured Mr Adekoya's friends that even if they had not arrived to assist him, the tribunal would test the evidence given by IBM's lawyers.
Mr Tom Mallon, representing IBM, accused Mr Adekoya of "making up" his allegations.
He said the Nigerian had originally claimed not to have received a disciplinary letter from the company in May 2002 but had now changed his mind.
"You make up the answer as you go along. Can you now tell us the truth?" he asked.
Mr Adekoya has said the company had begun harassing him with warning letters about unexplained absences, which were due to a back injury he sustained lifting computer servers at work.
Mr Mallon asked Mr Adekoya why he had not replied to an October 2003 letter from his manager, who wanted to know why he had been absent.
Mr Adekoya replied: "I was going through emotional distress at the time I saw the letter, because the management can't distinguish between a robot and a human being."