The document summarizes the introduction and development of the welfare state in Northern Ireland from 1949-1973. It discusses how the welfare state provided free healthcare, education, pensions and unemployment benefits through higher taxes. While Unionists initially resisted it, the welfare state was eventually implemented and made Northern Ireland more prosperous than the Republic of Ireland economically and socially. Key developments discussed include expanding education access, improving housing conditions, increasing healthcare funding and investing in infrastructure to attract foreign industry.

1. The Welfare State in N. Ireland
• Leaving Cert History
• Northern Ireland 1949-1973

2. The Welfare State
•General Election 1945 – Labour Party introduce the Welfare
State.
•Care for people in health, education and welfare
•Higher taxes in return for
(a) free healthcare – the NHS
(b) free education
(c) higher rates of pensions and unemployment
benefits
•British government provided extra money to NI to allow
Stormont to introduce the Welfare State in the North
•Unionists initially resisted the Welfare State fearing it would
benefit Catholics and threaten Unionist Rule
•Eventually implemented and NI became more prosperous and
left the Republic far behind in social and economic terms

3. Education
• Education Act 1947 – responsibility on local councils to
provide education
• Many Protestants concerned it reduced the role of
religious instruction in schools
• Implemented the 11-plus exam. Allowed the top 20% to
attend grammar school. The rest would follow a more
‘technical’ programme
• Local authorities had to provide free medical inspection
and treatment, transport, milks, meals and books in
schools
• Large school grants meant the majority of students did
not pay fees

4. • Numbers attending second-level increased by
100% by 1952
• Catholic bishops complained that state grants
were lower for voluntary Catholic schools
• Negotiations saw grants increased to 65% and
to 100% when a school allowed local council
representation on its school committee
• Catholics benefited from increased spending at
third-level
Education

5. • Before WW2 poor housing in Catholic and Protestant
working class areas
• In Derry Catholics lived in overcrowded houses and
flats
• Many houses had no running water or toilet facilities
• Northern Ireland Housing Trust set up in 1945 –
power to borrow money to build houses
• By 1960s the Trust had built 113,000 new houses
• Allocation of houses by the Trust did not discriminate
between Catholics and Protestants
• Local authority houses were controlled mainly by
Unionists - discrimination against Catholics
Housing

6. Health Care
• Health service in North under-funded and poorly
serviced
• Welfare State led to major changes
• General medical, dental, pharmaceutical and eye
services free to all
• Increased spending on hospitals
• Catholic Mater Hospital in Belfast insisted on
remaining independent – deprived of state funds
• New screening programme for TB reduced cases

7. Economy 1943-63
• By 1950s the post-war boom had faded.
• N. Ireland was most disadvantaged area of UK
• Increased urbanisation
• Traditional industries in trouble
• Rising unemployment
• In 1961 10,000 men laid off from shipyards
• Traditional methods of discrimination were not
preventing growing radicalisation of Protestants
• Brookeborough forced to resign

8. Economy under O’Neill
• Concentrated on attracting foreign industry
• New town of Craigavon built (100,000)
• Investment of £450million in infrastructure to attract
industry
• Major road-building programme
• Building of second university
• Strategy successful in attracting foreign multinationals
• Most companies located east of the R. Bann – did not help
high unemployment among Catholics
• British Government blamed uneven development for rise
of Civil Rights Movement

9. • Presentation prepared by:
• Dominic Haugh
• St. Particks Comprehensive School
• Shannon
• Co. Clare
• Presentation can be used for educational purposes only – all rights remain with author

10. • Presentation prepared by:
• Dominic Haugh
• St. Particks Comprehensive School
• Shannon
• Co. Clare
• Presentation can be used for educational purposes only – all rights remain with author