Currency differential leading to sense of injustice

A sense of real injustice was being experienced by ministers serving in the Republic because of the disparity between the Irish pound and sterling, the Presbyterian General Assembly has been told in Belfast.

Current pay structures did not take into account "the enormous difference", said the former Moderator Rev John Ross.

No matter "how difficult or inconvenient it might be, something must be done, and done without delay, to ensure parity in real terms between those of us who work in Northern Ireland and in the Republic", he said.

Rev Jim Lamont, who serves at Carrigart and Dunfanaghy in Co Donegal, said that at one point this year, after 30 years' service a minister serving in the Republic "was being paid the equivalent of £15,164 which is some £918 less than those on basic ministerial minimum in Northern Ireland".

The General Assembly agreed to oppose some proposed changes in Britain's Independent Television Commission (ITC) rules which would liberalise advertising standards and practice.

A consultation document from the ITC has proposed relaxing rules for TV advertising covering "occult" advertising, advertising for "top shelf" magazines, escort agencies, and pregnancy counselling services. It has also proposed restrictions on advertising for religious groups.

Where such groups were concerned, the ITC recommended that statements of doctrine be permitted "provided they are clearly and unambiguously presented as a matter of belief rather than fact". The church's board of education felt this would allow "very limited freedom for Christians and other religious groups wishing to advertise on TV" and that "advertising should not be permitted that intentionally causes offence to other religious groups".

It was concerned that people be protected from "the possible disturbing effects that some occult practices and rituals may have" while it believed that "a total ban on advertising pornography on television should remain."

It also believed that the ban on advertising escort agencies on TV should remain and, while it had no objection to the advertising of pregnancy testing services, it would be concerned "lest they be associated with abortion clinics . . . as a Christian church we are opposed to abortion on demand".

Following a contentious debate the assembly decided by 250 votes to 215 to defer a decision on a new hymn book pending a report by the church's public worship committee to next year's assembly.