The protest directed at young school children and their parents as they make their way to and from Holy Cross primary school in Ardoyne has now entered its seventh week. Over the course of the protest, these children have been subjected to appalling physical and verbal abuse, sectarian taunting and intimidation. On 5 September, a blast-bomb was thrown at the children as they walked up to the school. Each day, they have needed the protection of a large number of police officers, some of whom have been injured in the course of their work, and whom we commend.
No civilised society can tolerate a situation whereby school children, some as young as four years of age, are treated in this disgraceful fashion. Let me be very clear about this – these protests are wrong. No grievance, real or perceived, can justify such protests or the dreadful behaviour of the protesters towards these children. Whatever the concerns of the Glenbryn protesters, whatever problems may exist between the Glenbryn and Ardoyne communities, there can be no justification for a protest directed against young children. They are not the cause of such problems. This is not a legitimate form of protest. The protest at Holy Cross School should stop immediately.
These children have the right to go to school in safety and peace, without having to face abuse or intimidation. The parents have the right to ensure their children's education. The rights of the children are sacrosanct in this dispute.
Hopes that a resolution was in sight were raised last week when direct dialogue took place between the Ardoyne parents and Glenbryn residents. These talks have not, as yet, resulted in an end to the protests. I urge local elected and community representatives in both Glenbryn and Ardoyne to redouble their efforts in the coming days to facilitate inter-community dialogue and local agreement. No community interest is served by violence, by fomenting sectarianism or by targeting young children.
I have raised the Government's grave concerns about the protest at the Holy Cross school with the Secretary of State on a number of occasions. My officials have also been in ongoing contact with the British authorities since the protest started. We have been assured that the security forces will continue to provide protection to the children and parents on a daily basis for as long as the protests continue. We have also been kept informed of the efforts being made by the British Government and the Executive to facilitate dialogue and to address the wider concerns of the two communities in Ardoyne and Glenbryn.
The Good Friday Agreement affirmed the right of people to live their lives free from sectarian harassment. If these words are to mean anything, they must surely apply to young schoolchildren. We will continue to work with the British Government to ensure that this right is protected and vindicated.