Letter from Seán Murphy to Frederick H. Boland (London)
(Copy)

We were somewhat perturbed to read the report about over-crowding in Birmingham, which appeared in the ‘London Times’ last month. The account arose out of a discussion at a meeting of the Birmingham City Council on the 20th September. If the information given is true, and I suppose the Councillors would have first hand knowledge of the conditions, then the overcrowding situation in Birmingham would appear to be in a pretty bad state again.

The former Taoiseach, as of course you will remember, was very much interested in this question and I think we can’t rule out the possibility that a Parliamentary Question may be put down when the Dáil re-assembles – the Times report was reproduced in the local papers here.

It is a disturbing matter in any event. Whether the situation is as bad as it was in 1951 is, I imagine, doubtful but even then there was little evidence of Irish people sharing with coloured people in overcrowded lodging houses. This seems to be a new development and I am wondering if the Embassy has any information to date as to what extent it has become general in Birmingham and in other areas.

Mr. Maurice Foley made a very comprehensive survey of the living conditions of our people in Birmingham in 1951 and I think it might be a good idea, in view of this Press publicity, if we could have compiled something on the same lines again by someone who is conversant with current conditions. Apart, however, from the Press publicity, it has been put up to me that it would be a useful thing to have such a survey made at this juncture. The Cabinet is awaiting from us a report on the provision of safeguards for the welfare of our people in Britain and an up-to-date picture of their living conditions in one of the bigger industrial centres would be of particular assistance just now to the interdepartmental Committee, which is preparing the Report. Perhaps you would let me know how the suggestion strikes you. Our Cabinet Ministers will have seen the Press publicity on Birmingham and the matter will, I feel, be adverted to when our Report comes before them.