Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland is to pay a Catholic woman £10,000 in settlement of her allegation of sectarian discrimination, writes Deaglan de Breadun, Northern Editor.
The Department admitted an incident, which took place while the woman was in its employment, amounted to sectarian harassment.
The woman's case was supported by the North's Fair Employment Commission, which said in a statement that the Department of Agriculture had accepted that "the operation of its procedures at that time in relation to sectarian harassment in the workplace failed to satisfactorily resolve the problems experienced by the woman".
The Department also admitted that "in the particular circumstances of this case it failed to promote a good and harmonious working environment and atmosphere".
The Department apologised to the woman for injury to her feelings and distress and undertook that in the event of her recommencing employment following a career break she would be permitted to work in a different section.