27 Jun 2013, 17:25
The Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement was this afternoon told that early educational intervention was key to breaking the cycle of conflict that continues to afflict many communities in Northern Ireland.
27 June 2013
Rev Dr Gary Mason of the East Belfast Mission and Prof Peter McBride of the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health outlined the disruptive influence of the conflict which has flowed through to younger generations.
Committee Member Frank Feighan TD, who chaired this afternoon’s discussions, says: “We thank Dr Mason and Prof McBride for thoughtful and compelling contributions on how religious sectarianism and the trauma of conflict continues to weigh heavily across communities in Northern Ireland. Dr Mason instanced the recent flags protests in Belfast as an example of how the issue of the trauma from the conflict is being transmitted to a younger generation with no experience of the Troubles. He also outlined to the Committee what he termed fragmentation between loyalist and republican communities in recent years, noting that more listening was required to bolster reconciliation efforts.”
“Prof McBride said that, while the Good Friday Agreement brought welcome institutional changes, the psychological and emotional scars from the conflict endured in communities across Northern Ireland. He noted that, compared with other post-conflict situations with a clear historical narrative, the contested history of Northern Ireland’s conflict made it difficult for either side to move on. He said that early educational intervention would help to secure a more peaceful and stable society.”
The Committee will also heard from leading academics on the links being forged between St Angela's College in Sligo and the School of Education at the University of Ulster.
Deputy Feighan continues: “The engagement today with representatives from St Angela’s College and the University of Ulster builds on recent Committee meetings on cross border third level education provision. We were told of the increasing efforts to foster understanding and sharing of expertise in the area of teacher education, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding which formalises the relationship between both institutions.”
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Ends
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Members of the Committee:
Deputies Seán Conlan, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Regina Doherty, Peter Fitzpatrick, Frank Feighan, Martin Ferris, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Michael P. Kitt, Joe McHugh, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Joe O’Reilly, Brendan Smith and Joanna Tuffy.
Senators Jim D’Arcy, Maurice Cummins, Mary Moran, Mary White.
Chairman: Joe McHugh, TD Vice-Chairman: Joe O'Reilly, TD