Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 9 October 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Northern Ireland Peace Monitoring Report: Northern Ireland Community Relations Council

11:50 am

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The report refers specifically to the problems encountered by young working class Protestant males. We are told that 24% of young men aged 16 to 24 are unemployed in Protestant areas, compared with a figure of 17% in Catholic areas. Am I correct in saying that, proportionally, the largest percentage of unemployed young people would be in working class areas in east and north Belfast? There should be a targeted focus on creating employment opportunities in those areas. The report refers to the description "Protestant male" as being a speed bet for trouble. Certainly most of the trouble around flags and other issues emanated from east Belfast and, by extension, north Belfast. Part of the solution has to be around creating jobs in a targeted way for those areas. Uneducated working class people, be they Protestant or Catholic, are in need of an outlet through work or training. Unfortunately, however, the proposed cuts in welfare will exacerbate the problems in those areas. We need forward thinking on these issues.

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