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| Give locals job priority: Wilson | Give locals job priority: Wilson |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Environment Minister Sammy Wilson has said firms should give jobs to locals ahead of foreign nationals in the current economic downturn. | Environment Minister Sammy Wilson has said firms should give jobs to locals ahead of foreign nationals in the current economic downturn. |
| He said it made sense to give preference to people "with roots here". | He said it made sense to give preference to people "with roots here". |
| "I think you've got to be very careful when you talk in those terms because people always accuse you of being racist and xenophobic. | "I think you've got to be very careful when you talk in those terms because people always accuse you of being racist and xenophobic. |
| "But there have been a lot of people who moved in because of opportunities that there were," he said. | "But there have been a lot of people who moved in because of opportunities that there were," he said. |
| "However, equally when it comes to a downturn, I think if jobs are becoming vacant and you've got people with equal skills, and can do the job, etc., then I think preference should be given to people from Northern Ireland." | "However, equally when it comes to a downturn, I think if jobs are becoming vacant and you've got people with equal skills, and can do the job, etc., then I think preference should be given to people from Northern Ireland." |
| Eva Grosman, who publishes a Polish magazine for Northern Ireland, said politicians should be focusing on addressing the economic difficulties instead of trying to discriminate against migrant workers. | |
| "Any discrimination is not good, especially during this time of difficulties and hardship for everybody," she said. | |
| "Would the hardship experienced by a person born in Northern Ireland be any different to those born outside?" | |
| Last year Mr Wilson angered green campaigners by describing their view on climate change as a "hysterical pseudo-religion". | Last year Mr Wilson angered green campaigners by describing their view on climate change as a "hysterical pseudo-religion". |
| He said he believed it occurred naturally and was not man-made. | He said he believed it occurred naturally and was not man-made. |
| "Resources should be used to adapt to the consequences of climate change, rather than King Canute-style vainly trying to stop it," said the minister. | "Resources should be used to adapt to the consequences of climate change, rather than King Canute-style vainly trying to stop it," said the minister. |