the O’Neill Years Flashcards
O’Neill’s economic policies and actions to deal with poor infrastructure
- created the Ministry of Development to drive forward the modernisation of the economy
- modernised road and railway network
- co-operated with Irish Trades Union Congress - whose support was important for economic development
- opened an oil refinery in Belfast
- started development of a new airport in Aldergrove
- economic links with the RoI led to an agreement on electricity supply
- established a new city, Craigavon
O’Neill’s economic policies and actions to deal with high unemployment
- attracted new multinational firms to NI e.g ICI, Michelin, Goodyear, DuPont, Grundig, offered generous investment grants and tax allowances -attempt to solve unemployment problem
- 35,000 new jobs created
- established a new university in Coleraine to provide a skilled workforce
- invested £900 million in the economy
- set up 5 economic zones, four in the east, one in the west
O’Neill’s failed policies and actions to improve the economy
- 20,000 jobs lost in traditional industries e.g linen manufacture
- government had to give money to shipbuilders Harland & Wolff to keep it afloat, 1963-69
- unemployment averaged between 7% and 8%
- several companies refused government grants to open factories west of the River Bann, seeing the area as too remote for the export market
- led to unemployment west of the River Bann averaging 12.5%
- claims that the government was not supporting the area west of the Bann because it was predominantly nationalist
O’Neill’s attempts to improve relations with the RoI
- invited Taoiseach Sean Lemass Stormont, 14 January 1965,
- this was the first face-to-face meeting between Ireland’s main leaders in 40 years
- O’Neill visited Dublin four weeks later
- Discussions on economic cooperation
- Agreement on supply of electricity from the south
- O’Neill – economic links with the Republic can improve other areas, e.g. trade and tourism they should make best use of the shared resources
- Taoiseach Jack Lynch, visited NI December 1967
- Cooperation with Irish trade union Congress support was important for economic development
Nationalist response to O’Neill’s attempts to improve relations with the RoI
- Catholic leaders, both political and religious, reacted warmly to O’Neill’s attempts to hold out their hand of friendship
- Following the Lemass visit the Nationalist Party decided to take up the role of official opposition in Stormont for the first time in history
Unionist response to O’Neill’s attempt to improve relations with the RoI
- concerns about RoI’s claim to have authority over ‘the whole island of Ireland’ in the 1937 Constitution, Articles 2 and 3
- concerns over ’special position’ of the Catholic Church in the RoI
- fears of discrimination in a united Ireland e.g Ne Temere Decree and it’s effects
- O’Neills cabinet was upset at not being informed about the Lemass visit
- no widespread negative reaction to Lemass visit, January 1965
- December 1967 Jack Lynch visit cabinet agreed
O’Neill’s attempts to improve community relations in NI
- Wished to be more inclusive
- Visited Cardinal Conway leader of Catholic Church in Ireland
- Condolences to the Vatican on the death of Pope John XXIII, June 1963
- visited Catholic schools and hospitals, e.g. Mater Hospital and Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch
- Increased financial support to Catholic schools and hospitals
- Declared UVF illegal, 1966, murdered two Catholics
- Five point reform programme, November 1968
Nationalist response to O’Neill’s attempts to improve community relations in NI
- initial support give way to frustration seemed unlikely nationalist expectations would be met
- Particularly felt among new generation of Catholics, growing tensions
- anger as new city was named Craigavon after NI’s first PM
- Continued accusations that policies favoured Prot. east at expense of Catholic West e.g 12. 5%
unemployment rate west of the Bann - exception of Derry, places earmarked for economic development prot areas
- second university cited in Coleraine, rather than second city Derry
- No attempts to increase Catholic membership of health and education bodies
Unionist response to O’Neill’s attempts to improve relations in NI
Support for Paisley grew because;
- Unionists feared implications of O’Neill’s new policies
- resented failure of policies to improve their own lives
November 1965, general election
- OUP won 38/52 seats
- Suggested many people were satisfied with policies
Sectarian tensions increased, 1966
- 50th anniversaries for Easter rising
- Battle of the Somme
Two Catholics murdered by UVF May and June 1966
- UVF banned by O’Neill
Support within OUP for O’Neill weakened
- plot in September 1966, oust as leader
- Opposition from Deputy Prime Minister, Brian Faulkner and Agri. Minister, Harry West
- by late 1967 support for O’Neill, OUP and wider unionist community declined
- increasing the attracted by Paisley’s policies
- Chichester-Clark, resigned, one man, one vote
- William Craig, home affairs minister, condemned five point reform programme, was sacked
- Brian Faulkner, deputy leader and other cabinet member resigns after Cameron commission for Burntollet ambush January 1969
Two Catholics murdered by UVF May and June 1966
Two Catholics murdered by UVF May and June 1966
- UVF banned by O’Neill
Why did support for Paisley grow?
Support for Paisley grew because;
- Unionists feared implications of O’Neill’s new policies
- resented failure of policies to improve their own lives
What were unionists concerned about in the RoI’s constitution?
- concerns about RoI’s claim to have authority over ‘the whole island of Ireland’ in the 1937 Constitution, Articles 2 and 3
Why was O’Neill not the popular choice as unionist party leader?
He was selected not elected
Who did most unionist MPs want to be Unionist Party leader?
Brian Faulkner
What undermined his whole rule?
The lack of widespread support within the OUP
