Paisley's daughter presses on with case against DUP

Ian Paisley's daughter is pressing ahead with legal action against her father's Democratic Unionist Party for alleged sexual discrimination, an industrial tribunal heard today.

Both sides have been given until December 22 to have everything ready in preparation for a full hearing sometime next year.

Rhonda Paisley, a former party councillor and ex-Lady Mayoress of Belfast has alleged she did not get a job as a DUP policy officer in 2004 because of her gender.

She was one of a number of applicants for the post which went one of the party's councillors in Craigavon, Philip Weir.

Ms Paisley attended a preliminary hearing in Belfast today where it emerged that one of the respondents in the case is a former member of the DUP who resigned from the party earlier this year amid allegations that he met with a male masseur in a hotel room in 2004.

Paul Berry is now an independent Newry and Armagh member of the suspended Northern Ireland Assembly.

He is no longer being represented by the solicitor on behalf of his former party.

The tribunal vice-president Mrs Mayo Price said she wanted all factual and legal issues sorted out by December 22.