Vol. 350 No. 6
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations, if any, the Government have made since the beginning of last year to the British authorities concerning the clear evidence produced by the Fair Employment Agency of continuing discrimination in employment against Catholics in Northern Ireland.
5.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether in the context of the recent agreement to supply Kinsale gas to Northern Ireland, he is satisfied that the Northern Ireland gas industry has adopted fair employment practices; and if he has had any discussions with the Northern Ireland authorities in the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together.
The question of discrimination in employment in Northern Ireland has been raised by the Government with the British authorities on a number of occasions since the beginning of 1983. With regard to the specific issue raised by the Deputy concerning the gas industry in Northern Ireland, the Deputy may be assured that the Government have indicated to the British authorities their concern that fair employment practices be followed in the Northern Ireland gas industry.
Would the Minister agree that strong evidence has emerged in recent months of continuing discrimination against Catholics in Northern Ireland, that, for example, only 5 per cent of the workforce of Shorts is Catholic and in the administrative grades of the civil service over 80 per cent of officers are Protestant? Is the Minister aware that unemployment is between 30 and 50 per cent in many strongly Catholic areas such as West Belfast and Strabane? Would he agree that the Government should be urging the British Government to take positive and affirmative action to alleviate this situation?
The position with regard to discrimination is not good but it is better than it was. As the Deputy is well aware there has been action by the British Government going back to 1976 when the Fair Employment Agency was set up to try to redress the discriminatory position. Some progress has been made, but, regrettably, it has been slow. The Government are concerned to ensure that progress will continue to be made and we are alert for any areas of discrimination which come to our attention and we will draw the attention of the Northern Ireland Office to them. We are satisfied that there is concern by the British authorities to ensure that discrimination will come to an end as quickly as possible. Clearly, it does not require a lot of consideration to realise that it will not come to an end by waving a wand. It is obviously part and parcel of the difficulties that are inherent in the whole Northern Ireland situation.
Would the Minister agree that the expansion of the North-South industrial co-operation must be to some extent dependent on the elimination of sectarian discrimination on the part of the Northern workforce and on real efforts being made to introduce greater balance in employment? Does he believe that useful pressure has been exercised by the United States Congress to improve the pattern of distribution of employment in Northern Ireland and that this pressure appears to be having some positive results? Could he say if the embassy in Washington has been supportive of such efforts?
I am not aware of whether the assistance of the embassy in Washington was sought by the American authorities in this regard. Obviously, if it was, it is a matter that would be favourably considered, because our general policy is to do everything we can to assist in the elimination of discrimination. The Deputy can be quite certain about that. He can also be assured that if there are any industrial development projects in which this jurisdiction are involved we would, of course, be concerned to see that there would be no discrimination in the employment that would result from such development.
