9 DFómh 2014, 12:46
The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement has this morning expressed grave concerns at the lack of progress in community relations in Northern Ireland and urged both governments, as guarantors of the Agreement, to engage proactively to cement reconciliation on the ground.
9 October 2014
The Committee Members pointed out that a more integrated education system was key to long term and lasting reconciliation between communities.
Representatives from the Community Relations Council were appearing before the Committee to present the latest Northern Ireland Peace Monitoring Report.
Committee Chairman Frank Feighan TD says: “The Committee thanks the Community Relations Council for a powerful and candid presentation on the state of community relations on the ground in Northern Ireland. The Committee heard that political difficulties in Stormont and uncertainty surrounding domestic and international funding streams have led to a crisis in community relations on the ground.
“We fully understand that the valuable work of community groups is almost impossible to sustain, should funding continue to be delivered on a piecemeal and ad-hoc basis. With uncertainty surrounding funding streams for reconciliation work between 2015 and 2020, we were told that the target to remove the peace lines at interface areas by 2023 simply cannot be realised. Given the enormous costs to police certain protests, the Committee is firmly of the view that such community funding would be money well spent.
“With approximately €40 million dispensed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade since 1999, the Committee will write to the Department to ensure this funding is sustained and bolstered. Minister Charlie Flanagan is scheduled to appear before the Committee in the near future and Members will also advance the case for increasing this reconciliation funding with him.”
“The Committee fully take on board the view that reconciliation must begin from the ground up and we heard that 90 percent of children in Northern Ireland are being educated in segregated schools. As was mentioned at the meeting, the sectarian divide must be overcome as early as pre-school to secure reconciliation for future generations. As a Committee, we will continue to emphasise the importance of shared and integrated education in fostering reconciliation.”
Ends
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies:
Seán Conlan, Fine Gael
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Independent
Regina Doherty, Fine Gael
Frank Feighan, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Martin Ferris, Sinn Féin
Peter Fitzpatrick, Fine Gael
Michael P. Kitt, Fianna Fáil
Joe O’Reilly, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Thomas Pringle, Independent
Ruairí Quinn, Labour
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Joanna Tuffy, Labour
Jack Wall, Labour
Senators:
Maurice Cummins, Fine Gael
Jim D’Arcy, Fine Gael
Mary Moran, Labour
Mary White, Fianna Fáil