Irish Troubles ‘Not Solely Religious’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 30

Irish Troubles ‘Not Solely Religious’

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, October 14.

It was gross over-simplification to consider the present troubles in Northern Ireland solely as a religious argument between Roman Catholics and Protestants, the Irish Republic’s Ambassador to New Zealand (Mr F. A. Cossey) said today.

It was not a struggle over dogma but one compounded of social, economic, nationalistic and political factors, he said.

"And let’s be quite frank about it. The aggravating facfor is the very high unemployment in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Cossey, who is stationed In Canberra but whose credentials; include the representation of his country in New Zealand; attended the Cook bicentenary celebrations in Gisbqrne last week. He returned to Canberra today. “When you add unemployment to bad; housing you get; a feeling of desperation and! this is behind a .great deal of th'- trouble,” he said. "My: Government works on the basis that Ireland should not be partitioned, but ourj Prime Minister (Mr. John Lynch) has said that force should not and will not be used to end partition. He has made it clear that the union our Republic, wants is a union of mind and this can, not be brought about 'by force.”

' The partition question was one issue. The civil rights of the Roman Catholic minority in the north was another, he said. ■ ■ s ,j. “We have maintained ,for years that . this , minority is not well treated apd we were pleased when the commission presided over by the Scottish judge, Lord Cameron, stated unequivocally that there was discrimination,” he said. His country was pleased when the former Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (Captain. Terence O’Neil) announced his programme for reform. “He was a farseeing man—-and a great gentleman—and he sensed the injustice. His thanks was

that his own party ousted him.”

Mr Cossey said that hope lay in the fact that very large groups in both parts of Ireland longed fdr peace. Looked at in general terms, relations between the two countries had never been better, particularly the relations between the various churches.