§ 49. Sir R. Rossasked the Minister of Defence how many ex-Servicemen from the United Kingdom and non-Service Eire citizens have been discharged from civil employment with the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland since 1st January.
§ Mr. AlexanderSince 1st January 86 ex-Servicemen and nine non-Service Eire citizens have been discharged from civil employment by the Service Departments in Northern Ireland.
§ Sir R. RossIs the right hon. Gentleman not ashamed that these ex-Servicemen should be sacked from their jobs in order to keep the citizens of a neutral State, who never served this country, in their employment?
§ Mr. AlexanderThis matter has been dealt with several times in the House. The figures I have just given cover a great number of different stations in Northern Ireland, and probably in cases where ex-Servicemen have been discharged, there were no Eire men serving who could have been discharged.
§ Sir R. RossIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many jobs are held by Eire non-Servicemen, and for which there are quite competent ex-Servicemen available?
§ Mr. Skeffington-LodgeIs my right hon. Friend not aware that, relatively speaking, Eire did more to help this country in the war than Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. MulveyCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many British ex-Servicemen, natives of Eire, have been refused renewals of residence permits in Northern Ireland?
§ Mr. AlexanderI have no actual figures on that point.