Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Council Minutes

18 June 2004

Minutes of the

P&D Committee Meeting

Friday 18^th June 2004

Present: Robin Wilson, Edwin Graham, Ward Erwin, Declan O'Loan

Apologies: Neil Jarman, Niall Fitzduff, Vivienne Pollock, Eamon Deane, Roise Ni Bhaoill

In attendance: Grainne Kelly (Democratic Dialogue), Dympna McGlade, Patricia O'Neil, David Russell, Peter Thompson

Minutes and matters arising

1. Newtownabbey Research

The meeting with Newtownabbey Borough Council due to take place last Wednesday has been postponed until August/September 2004.

2. Asylum

A new report has just been published by the Refugee Action Group entitled 'Measuring Misery'

3. Hate Crimes

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into hate crime in Northern Ireland. The Committee commissioned an online forum under the auspices of the Hansard Society to accompany its formal evidence-taking.

The online forum will help the Committee to gather evidence beyond official statistics, and to widen the pool of people involved in the consultation process. The comments made in this online forum will feed directly into the Committee's inquiry.

In order to gather a wider range of views on the Bill, the Committee commissioned an online forum under the auspices of the Hansard Society to accompany its formal evidence-taking. The comments made in this online forum will feed directly into the Committee's scrutiny of the Bill. The online address is www.tellparliament.com

The online forum will run for six weeks beginning June 2004.

4. ASBO's

Brice Dickson from the Human Rights Commission requested that we forward our response to the consultation on ASBO's. This was agreed.

5. Local Council Reports

Five more reports are due to be finished by the end of June and published September/October 2004.

6. Conference

There has been very positive feedback on the PD conference. Mr Wilson suggested that for the first meeting after the summer break we allow time to discuss next year's conference along with theme and speakers.

Overview of local civic forum research - Graínne Kelly, Democratic Dialogue

Graínne Kelly gave the committee an overview of research that she has just finished called 'Shared space, shared problem' which looked at local civic fora and intercommunal relations.

The areas Ms kelly looked at were:

Larne

Moyle

Derry

Newry

In these areas she studied the layout of the forums, how they were facilitated, the timing and venue used. Also how neutral the venue was and how the forums evolved over the years from their initial formation.

After questions to Ms Kelly and discussion among the committee they agreed that from this research there is a need for models of best practice, so that in the future groups can use a template to easily setup their own forum.

Good Relations Strategy

CRU invited Departments and Agencies to assist in the development of a Good Relations Strategy by producing a short high level summary of what action each Department/Agency proposes to take to improve good relations in carrying out its statutory functions and services. This included the further development of initiatives and actions which are already under way.

Karen Jardine of the Community Relations Unit and Dympna McGlade of the Community Relations Council met with representatives from each Department over a three week period during May/June 2004. The outcome of the consultation is being written up.

CRC engagement with political parties

See Mr Wilson's and Dr Morrow's paper attached 'Shaping our Shared Future'

NI Grand Committee debate

Ms McGlade briefed the committee on the NI Grand Committee debate (see attached copy) explaining the questions asked and the outcome of the debate.

She felt that the focus of the debate pertaining to CRC was quite positive. The UUP have departed from their Shared Future position which proposed the abolition of CRC to something slightly less. Government is consulting on proposals flowing from Minister John Spellar's with Key Stakeholders in September/October. It appears that local Councils will take a greater role in Good Relations.

The Committee recommended that CRC should formally engage all the political parties to discuss this issue and build formal relations.

P&D Committee new members

There have been 2 resignations from the committee, Eamon Deane (retiring from Council) and Damian McElroy (due to work schedule). Mr Wilson and Ms McGlade asked the committee to think of possible replacements. Mr Wilson told the meeting that they will have to already be Council members and any decision will have to go through Council. The committee's initial suggestions were:

Maureen Hetherington

Maura Muldoon

AOB

P&D Committee Dinner - September 10^th. Meeting from 4pm then break for dinner at 6pm.