A leading Northern Ireland estate agency displayed a breathtaking lack of commitment to equality, a Fair Employment tribunal heard yesterday.
On the final day of a religious discrimination case barrister Mr Gerry Grainger accused Templeton Robinson of paying lip-service to the issue. He said there had been no evidence to suggest that, apart from religious monitoring, anything had changed at the Belfast and Holywood based company.
"In fact, the evidence before the tribunal suggests an employer that at best was disinterested in the issue of equal opportunities and at worst, simply did not care - ignoring and abdicating its responsibilities and obligations," he said.
The barrister was presenting his final submission in the case of Mr Jonathan Montague, who is alleging religious discrimination and constructive dismissal against his former employers.
During the two-week case, Mr Montague (28), who joined the company as an accounts administrator in October 2002, claimed partners at the company made anti-Catholic jibes.
He also alleged that the company operated an old boy network and that the attitude of one of the partners, Mr Keith Mitchell, changed towards him after he discovered he was Catholic.
But Mr Conor Hamill, representing Templeton Robinson, described Mr Montague as a wholly unreliable witness. He accused the applicant of fabricating evidence and intentionally attempting to mislead the tribunal.
Mr Hamill said Mr Montague had not performed his duties and had misled one of the partners about the amount of work he had carried out to transfer the company's accounts to computer.
Tribunal president Mr John Maguire said he hoped his decision would be available within 10 days. - (PA)