3. O'Neill's Political Policies unfinished

Question 1

Relations with the republic of Ireland

How?

Answer 1

• In January 1965 an action taken by Terence O’Neill was a visit to stormont of the Irish taoiseach Sean Lemass this was the first trip of its kind and the first meeting between a Northern Ireland and southern leader since 1925
• O’Neill made a return visit to Dublin four weeks later, relations developed by discussing economic cooperation and resulted in the reaching of an agreement regarding tourism and the supply of electricity from the south
• a further event to improve relations was taoiseach Sean Lemass travelling to Stormont in 1967

Question 2

Relations with Northern nationalists

Why?

Answer 2

• O’Neill wanted to be more inclusive and make northern nationalists feel more apart of Northern Ireland
• he wanted to remove religion from politics so he could concentrate on more important issues e.g. The economy
• he believed his own background (part Gaelic, part Protestant settler) meant that he could build bridges between Protestants and Catholics

Question 3

Relations with northern nationalists

How?

Answer 3

• O’Neill declared the UVF illegal under the special powers act in 1966 this reaches out to nationalists by protecting their community

Question 4

Economic successes of Terence O’Neill

Answer 4

• a number of multinational firms such as Michelin, DuPont, good year, ICI, and grundig opened factories in NI - created 30,000 new jobs
• construction of a motorway system was started
• links with the Republic of Ireland resulted in the signing of an agreement on the supply of electricity from the south
• a new airport was under development as Aldergrove
• an oil refinery was opened in Belfast

Question 5

Economic failures of Terence O’Neill

Answer 5

• unemployment averaged at between 7 and 8%
• several companies refused government grants to open factories west of the river Bann, seeing the area as too remove from their export markets

Question 6

Relations with the Republic of Ireland

Why?

Answer 6

• the republic’s economy had begun to improve in the 1960s and so o’neill sought to develop economic links with the republic which would benefit the north.
• to make the best of shared resources. O’Neill argued that both states shared ‘the same rivers, the same mountains and some of the same problems.’
• Northern Nationalists felt a strong connection with the Republic of Ireland given the history of partition and the fact they shared a religion…Catholicism