23 Nov 2012, 14:12
The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement is today concluding its visit to Belfast and agreed to carefully reflect on the engagement with community leaders in North and East Belfast and Lisburn. Those at the forefront of community relations in unionist and nationalist working class communities, while presenting an upbeat assessment of progress, advised the Committee that the peace should not be taken for granted.
The two day visit took in a a wide range of discussions with the Duncairn Partnership in North Belfast, the Short Strand Community Forum and Partnership, the East Belfast Methodist Mission, the Andy Tyrie Interpretative Centre in East Belfast and the Resurgam Trust in Lisburn. The Committee is this afternoon attending the formal opening of the cross-community Skainos Centre in inner East Belfast by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Committee Chairman Joe McHugh TD says: “Over the past two days, our Committee listened to a range of often deeply personal stories of the journeys made by local community representatives in contributing to peace. The warm hospitality we received in loyalist communities in particular was a moving experience for many Committee Members. While the community spirit and resolve was very much in evidence within the organisations we visited, we were also reminded of the problems of unemployment, lack of educational attainment and drug related crime many of the communities are trying to overcome.
“Our Committee resolved to carefully consider how we can play our part in securing the gains since the Good Friday Agreement. We are particularly keen to explore what we can do to empower disenfranchised youth in working class communities, through education and employment opportunities. One such way of assisting communities is to help curb any unnecessary bureaucracy and smooth the way for funding to trickle down to the communities that need it most. This visit was a valuable opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous sacrifice and hard work new community leaders are making to better their respective communities.”
Follow this Committee on Facebook and view photos from today: http://www.facebook.com/GFAIC
Ends
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Paul Hand,
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paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Members of the Committee:
Deputies Seán Conlan, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Regina Doherty, Peter Fitzpatrick, Frank Feighan, Martin Ferris, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Peter Fitzpatrick, Michael P. Kitt, Joe McHugh, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Joe O’Reilly, Brendan Smith and Joanna Tuffy.
Senators Jim D’Arcy, Maurice Cummins, Martin McAleese, Mary Moran, Mary White.
Chairman: Joe McHugh, TD Vice-Chairman: Joe O'Reilly, TD