Decision to boycott recruitment fairs attended by military branded ‘disgraceful’
Derry and Strabane Council voted to pull out of fairs that hosted the armed forces.
The decision by a local council in Northern Ireland to “boycott” recruitment fairs that the armed forces take part in has been branded “disgraceful”.
Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons was speaking after Derry City and Strabane District Council voted to withdraw any involvement in the organisation or marketing of any future jobs fair that includes the UK military.
It was argued that the presence of the armed forces at a recent jobs fair organised by the Department for Communities had acted as a “barrier” for some people seeking employment opportunities.
The matter was raised during questions for Mr Lyons’ department at the Assembly by DUP MLA for Foyle Julie Middleton on Monday.
Mr Lyons claimed “deep-seated intolerance” was behind the move.
“I want to help everybody in Northern Ireland access careers to work for them, and I believe it’s an absolute shame and it is a disgrace that the council had taken this decision,” he said.
“And at the heart of that decision is prejudice and intolerance of people that they disagree with.
“I understand that a job in the armed forces may not be for everybody, I understand that, but why should people decide that they won’t allow others to hear about the opportunities that exist? It doesn’t make sense.
“I believe that it is discriminatory, and as I’ve said, I believe that the heart of it all is a deep-seated intolerance.”