39. Mr. O'Neillasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the number of recruits accepted into the armed forces from the Republic of Ireland at Northern Ireland recruiting centres; and who are his agents in the Republic of Ireland for this purpose.
§ Mr. BirchBetween April, 1949, and now, about 2,400 men and boys and 150 women who gave an address in the Republic of Ireland were accepted into the armed forces through the Belfast recruiting office. There are no recruiting agents for the Services in the Republic of Ireland.
Mr. O'NeillIn view of that answer, will the Minister explain bow these recruits come to arrive at the Border in, apparently, organised batches and are met there by an officer of the Services, who accompanies them to Belfast? Since these recruits are recruited into the Service by exaggerated promises of conditions and prospects in the Services, does the hon. Gentleman consider it is fair that they should be bound into the Services on arrival in Northern Ireland, as many of them are dissatisfied?
§ Mr. BirchAs I have said, there are no recruiting agents in the Republic of Ireland. As far as the conditions of service are concerned, I imagine that men from the Republic of Ireland would not join up unless they were satisfied.
§ Sir D. SavoryIs my hon. Friend not aware that these recruits are largely the sons of the Loyalists who joined up in the last war as a protest against the cowardly neutrality of Eire?
Mr. O'NeillWill the Minister ignore the remark made by the hon. Member for Antrim, South (Sir D. Savory) and state that during the war many thousands of Irishmen volunteered and that they were not only the sons of the Irishmen to whom the hon. Member has referred?