How effective was the contribution of Terence O’Neill to the affairs of Northern Ireland?

Terence O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s Prime Minister in March 1963.

key policies

Succesfull

Several international companies - including Michelin, DuPont, Goodyear, ICI and Grundig - built factories in Northern Ireland.

Work started on the construction of the M1 motorway which would link Belfast and Dungannon.

An agreement was signed with the Dublin government over the supply of electricity.

Belfast benefitted from the opening of a new oil refinery.

Development started on a new airport.

Met with sean Lemass which helped to further improve relations with the republic “We share the same rivers, the same mountains and some of the same problems.”

Unsuccessful

Unemployment levels were never lower than 7 per cent

A lack of work in industries such as linen and shipbuilding meant that over 20,000 jobs were lost

The government had to give money to shipbuilders Harland and Wolff to keep the company open

Attracting investment to areas west of the River Bann proved to be more difficult as companies viewed the region as being too far from their export markets to open factories

unemployment in the west was over 12.5 per cent

This fed allegations of bias in government policy.

O'NEILL met Irish TAOISEACH SEAN LEMASS at Stormont in 1963. It was the first face to face meeting between leaders of North and South in over 40 years

O'NEILL visited CARDINAL CONWAY leader of Ireland's Catholics, O'NEILL offered condolences to the Vatican on the death of POPE PIUS


O'NEILL visited Catholic SCHOOLS and HOSPITALS (Mater)


O'NEILL promised financial help to Catholic schools and hospitals


O'NEILL made the UVF ILLEGAL after 2 Catholics were murdered by the organisation

Meeting with thr "nameless faceless men"

West of the bann discrimination

Depicted O'Neill as being all for show with no action

Lockwood report

O’Neill couldn’t convince Unionists that Northern Ireland needed to be modernised. His policies failed to ease tension between the two sides

it fed fuel to the fire and helped Ian Paisley to become so popular

The Ulster at the crossroad speech had strong

He introduced many reforms but didnt back them enough

His lack of charisma impeded on his likeability which is crucial for politicians

O'Neill decided to introduce 'one man one vote' for the next election, but this caused so much chaos and anger from his own party that he was forced to resign in 1969

Failed to help NICRA

The lack of support from his own party led to his downfall

He helped to establish ties with the republic but did not do enough

Had the right idea but didn't do enough to make these ideas happen and did not go far enough in his attempts for reform

Main aims:1) To make N.Ireland into a modern industrialised
society able to compete in the world.
2) To create greater economic and social equality

Invested over £900 million in the economy

Modernised the transport links with a new motorway and
airport at Aldergrove.

built the new city of Craigavon

Built new oil refinery

Launched economic council to assist with economic reform

35,000 new jobs were created in
this period but employment was still high especially in the West. 20,000 lost their jobs in older industries.

Set up five economic zones to ensure the modernisation of existing industries and to help bring new foreign investment to the province.

Multi national companies like ICI
Michelin and DuPont did invest and
set up factories in N.Ireland

Began co-operation with the Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC).

Subtopic

Born into wealthy upper class protestant family- Good education in English school (Eton)

Served with Irish Guards in WW2. then moved to N.I

Part of orange order.

Elected as unionist MP 1946 Bannside constituency.

Became leader of the OUP

The party was conservative but he identified as a liberal

Was chosen to be PM but was not elected

Promised reforms for catholics

Was determined to heal tensions between Catholics and Unionists

Wasn't very charismatic

Didnt interact much with regular unionists & didnt have strong interpersonal connections with other party members

Please weigh well all that is at stake and make your voice heard in whatever way you think best, so that we may know the views not of the few, but of the many.

“It is frightfully hard to explain to Protestants that if you give Roman Catholics a good job and a good house, they will live like Protestants...they will refuse to have 18 children.... If you treat Roman Catholics with due consideration and kindness, they will live like Protestants in spite of the authoritative nature of their Church.”

Then we have people genuinely trying to be helpful who advocate a kind of reciprocal emasculation- No National Anthem or Loyal Toast to offend one sidde; no outward signs or symbols of Nationalism to offend the other. This approach, too, I believe to be misconceived; it is rather like trying to solve the colour problem by spraying everyone a pale shade of brown