AN OFFICIAL parliamentary report into the Irish community in Scotland which cited attacks from four decades ago as evidence of sectarianism is littered with "significant discrepancies", it has been claimed.
Contributors to the study by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly have urged the group to re-visit Scotland at "the earliest possible convenience to clarify aspects of the reports content and intentions".
The group, made up of members of the UK, Scottish, and Irish Parliaments, claimed in the report that while cultural centres were an asset in promoting Irish identify and culture abroad, two had been burnt down in Scotland in what it said seemed to be sectarian attacks.
The claim sparked bewilderment within various Irish-connected groups in the country, with none The Herald contacted having any knowledge of such attacks.
A spokeswoman for the group later confirmed two centres had burnt down in the late 1970s or early 80s and were "historic not recent".
There has been further fall-out from the report following comments by Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North Jim Sheridan, who claimed the Irish should not be regarded as an ethnic minority and added public money must not be spent on a St Patrick's Day parades.
He said: "People need to look forward, move forward and think of a modern Scotland and stop living in the past."
Tory MSP Mary Scanlon, who represents the Highlands and Islands, described the report as "divisive".
Meanwhile, national ethnic minorities umbrella body BEMIS raised a number of concerns over the report.
The group's parliamentary and policy officer Danny Boyle said: "From our early discussions with concerned stakeholders surrounding the report highlights, recommendations, terminology and language we would encourage the BIPA committee to re-visit Scotland at the earliest possible convenience to clarify aspects of the reports content and intentions.
"There are significant discrepancies within the report and alongside the additional comments of Jim Sheridan MP and Mary Scanlon MSP that the Irish are not an 'ethnic minority' only serve to further confuse matters and highlight a general ignorance and confusion which permeates throughout the report and its recommendations."
The report also claimed if proposals for a St Patrick's Day parade were put forward in Glasgow it would created community tensions amid concerns about Orange Order protests.
The report said: "We recognise that symbols and songs can be divisive and firmly support efforts to promote mutual understanding and tolerance but we were concerned that this nervousness might in part be fostered by a sectarian narrative which had been constructed to characterise and perhaps even demonise some of these groups."
One Orange Order source told The Herald the group would be more likely to seek some involvement if the local authority were to promote such an event.
House of Lords peer and BIPA committee member Lord Dubs said he was saddened by the reported tensions in Scotland, adding it was "distressing to hear that at least two such centres had been burnt down in what seemed to be sectarian attacks".
The report also focused on the "public criticism of second generation Irish footballers James McCarthy and Aiden McGeady by former player and commentator Gordon McQueen" for choosing to play for the Irish national team. Mr McQueen's claim he hoped the pair would receive "a horrible reception" in Celtic Park when playing in a Euro 2016 qualifier was described by witnesses to the committee as "most distressing".
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