Ireland of Equals Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin welcome Unionst engagement on all-Ireland Employment Agenda

Published: 29 September, 2007

Sinn Féin All Ireland spokesperson Willie Clarke MLA has today welcomed the meeting between the Employment and Learning Minister Reg Empey and his counterparts in Leinster House, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin TD, and the Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin TD as a first step to All Ireland Engagement.

He said,

"An All-Ireland approach to employment and further education is the only sensible and rational approach and I welcome these steps taken. Students do not recognise any border or partition when it comes to quality of education and choices of degrees etc.

"I welcome Minister Empey's logical thinking.

"This, of course, follows the old school Unionist Kenneth Bloomfield' assertions that a united Ireland is possible.

"However, I would have concerns with the Minister's sentiment of "reviewing the growing number of migrant workers to our communities". Migrant workers play a productive and welcome role in communities throughout Ireland and should be commended in their efforts and supported at every avenue rather than being "reviewed". Críoch