• WE’RE in the third decade of the 21st century yet the Irish have not achieved equality in Britain.

The census is on March 21 but people from southern Ireland’s 26 counties have not been provided, as have other communities, with a “nationality” box.

Like servants who have forgotten their place, we have to locate a space called “Other” and there we inscribe our nationality.

If it hadn’t been for “Other”, WWII’s D-Day would not successfully have occurred. It was a west of Ireland family, who provided the crucial weather forecast.

The fact that the official census considers us “Other” is providing a detrimental example on how to view and treat us.

Although we are the largest ethnic group in Britain, at six million, this is also ignored by this census.

Other ethnic groups are provided with categories and sub-categories to record fully their communities. The Irish are supposed to choose white, which is a skin colour not an ethnic group.

The former taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, apparently does not exist! Should he be in Britain on March 21, he would, as will others of Irish heritage who have an African/Afro-Caribbean/Asian parent/ grandparent, be denied the right to record his Irish heritage on this census layout.

This census will be, for the next 10 years, the basis for employment application forms, funding based on community size, how social housing is monitored and allocated, news articles and education policies.

All will be based on a false premise, as the Irish have not been properly included.

Each time I have approached the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to ask they examine the needs of the Irish community in Britain (or write to government and other bodies) as they have done for other communities, to request they treat the Irish equally, they reply that I must approach organisations in Ireland.

Please record yourself as Irish on this census, even if you are Irish second and third generation and born in Britain. The return on our taxes, in the form of government funding of organisations for the vulnerable, is based on the size of our community.

RÓISÍN NÍ ĊURRÁIN, N1