Sir, - In your article (March 12th), Mr Gregory Campbell (DUP) said "the British Government was labouring under a misconception" that Northern Ireland society did not offer equality of opportunity to Catholics.
In 1952 Geoffrey Bing KC, MP, published a paper entitled "John Bull's Other Ireland" which stated: - Lord Craigavon, Northern Ireland's first prime minister called for "a Protestant parliament for a Protestant people"; - the London Sentinel (March 20th, 1934) reported Sir Basil Beaverbrook recommending Loyalists not to employ Catholics; - March 11th, 1950: Omagh Rural Council allocated 40 houses to Tories even though they had 22 applicants from nationalists.
Bing wrote: "the outward and visible manifestation of Tory policy in Northern Ireland is sectarian. The Catholics are like Jews under Hitler - to blame for everything".
While the situation has certainly improved in recent years, many scars from the past need to be treated with sensitivity. The White Paper on equality is a very welcome step in the right direction. - Yours, etc.,
Rialto, Dublin 12.