Nora Owen
Ceist:178 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts he has made to have the situation at Holy Cross Primary Girls' School, Ardoyne Belfast resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1698/02]
Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.
The protest along the route to Holy Cross Girls' Primary School in Ardoyne, which started in late June 2001, resumed the following September and continued for a further 12 weeks, with appalling sectarian abuse and physical intimidation being directed at the school children and their parents throughout.
On Friday 23 November, the Glenbryn residents announced a suspension of their protest following a series of meetings between the First and Deputy First Ministers and representatives of the protesters and the Ardoyne parents. These meetings, together with social, economic and other measures offered by the Executive, helped to create the context for a discontinuation of the protest. A face to face meeting between the parents and protesters was held at Belfast City Hall on 25 November to improve the atmosphere and level of mutual understanding. The following day the Holy Cross pupils made their way to and from school without protest for the first time in 12 weeks. This period of calm continued up to the Christmas school break.
However, on Wednesday, 9 January last, riot ing broke out near the school and the disturbances quickly spread to other surrounding areas. Trouble continued to flare throughout the following day, leading to the closure for the day of Holy Cross School, amid fears that the violence would lead to a resumption of the Glenbryn residents' protest. Thankfully, however, this has not happened to date.
Several important points need to be made about the dreadful situation in Ardoyne in the latter half of 2001 and earlier this month. The single most urgent concern remains the safety and well being of the school children; their right to education must be safeguarded and every effort must be made to ensure that they never again become the target of such intimidation.
It is also clear that the blockade and the tensions surrounding it were deeply wounding to all sides and against the best interests of all of the residents of the area. While a calm of sorts has emerged, the situation remains tense. Every effort must be made to strengthen the fragile peace that currently exists.
However, tensions remain high in the wider north Belfast area. There have been vicious and ongoing acts of sectarian violence and intimidation, including the shocking murder of postman Daniel McColgan in Rathcoole and the death threats against other workers, including teachers. It appears these threats have since been rescinded. However, the fact remains that the threats represented a direct and very disturbing assault on workers and on the wider community. The paramilitaries responsible for the murder of Mr. McColgan and for the death threats against his colleagues and other workers were rightly rejected by the people who turned out in large numbers at a number of anti-sectarianism rallies on 18 January. The trades union movement is to be commended for organising these rallies.
Against the background of a very limited number of arrests, the Taoiseach has recently called on the police to take tougher action against those loyalist paramilitaries who are responsible for attacks in North Belfast. I have also raised this matter personally with the Secretary of State Dr. Reid. The community needs and deserves the assurance of effective action against both the organisers and the perpetrators of the awful sectarian violence we have witnessed over the past year.
Within this disturbing context, it is imperative that the progress made in easing tensions before Christmas in and around the locality of Holy Cross school be sustained and developed in the weeks ahead.
I have asked my officials – who have been in sustained contact with those directly involved in the Holy Cross situation and with political and community leaders in North Belfast – to continue to monitor the situation there closely. My officials have also raised the issue of loyalist paramilitary violence in the North Belfast area with the British authorities on an ongoing basis through the framework of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in recent weeks. Moreover, officials from both sides are scheduled to meet to discuss this and other issues this week.