Jobs inequality shock.
From THE IRISH NEWS April 15th, 2000
By Anne McClean
THE unemployment rate of Catholics in Northern Ireland is double that of
Protestants, a new report has revealed. This was one of the stark findings
in the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland's first consultative draft
Corporate Plan for 2000-2003. The plan was launched at the Europa Hotel
yesterday at a packed conference attended by equality commissioners and
interested groups affected by equality legislation. The report found that
despite "considerable progress" in reducing inequality on the grounds of
religious belief or political opinion, problems remained. These included
the unemployment rate of Catholics being classed at 22.8 per cent compared
to 10.7 per cent for Protestants at the time of the 1991 population census.
Catholic workers were under-represented in the occupations of managers and
administrators as well as craft and skilled manual occupations. Of private
sector companies employing over 100 people, 6.1 percent had fewer than 10
per cent of Catholic workers on their books while 3.3 per cent had less
than 10 per cent of Protestant workers. The plan also indicated that incidents
of racial, sex and disability discrimination were still a fact of life in
Northern Ireland. The conference in the Europa Hotel was attended by equality
commissioners and participants in the consultative process such as Seamus
Lynch from Help the Aged, Dean Lee from the Chinese Welfare Association
and Therese Rogan from the Training for Women Network. Chief commissioner
for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, Joan Harbison, said the
commission was committed to carrying out its work in partnership with a
range of interested groups affected by equality legislation. "All too many
people find themselves marginalised and unable to participate fully in society,"
she said. "Our economy must be able to call upon the widest possible pool
of human resources and no section should be excluded from access to the
labour market through any form of discrimination. The draft Corporate Plan
sets out our strategic priorities and key areas for action but we want to
be inclusive. We are keen to hear the views of all those in the public,
private and voluntary sectors to help us shape our areas of work until 2003."
Two and a half thousand copies of the consultative draft Corporate Plan
have been distributed to voluntary groups across the north. As well as the
conference yesterday in Belfast, the Equality Commission will also be hosting
one in Derry next Thursday. The consultation period will last until May
26 with the final Corporate Plan for 2000-2003 published in June. |
