Community Relations Council

• Jobs
• Press Releases
• News
• Links
• Speeches
• Contact
• Council Minutes

29 April 2010

On 21st April The Minister for Education, Caitriona Ruane indicated that there would be a reduced level of funding available for community relations work. (This fund which has existed for many years, has supported schools and youth service based community relations activities)

In relation to this the Minister said: “I have had to balance a range of other priorities against the need to achieve efficiencies but have ensured that funding continues to be available to support this work.

On 26^th April the Community Relations Council (CRC) issued a press release – Duncan Morrow CEO stated “Frankly, as a society, we are too complacent about segregation. There are as many peace lines as there were before the Good Friday Agreement. Communities are crying out for support in breaking the cycle of sectarianism and violence among young people.  Yet at the very moment when we need to be normalising a culture of interaction and equality we are savagely reducing all public support for schools and youth work in this area.”

On 27^th CRC held a joint conference with Youthnet entitled  Breaking Barriers through Youth Work where youth workers put their issues to political representatives –Naomi Long, Alliance, Jonathan Bell, DUP, Dawn Purvis, PUP, Conall McDevitt, SDLP, Daithí McKay Sinn Fein and Basil McCrea, UUP.

Some of our representatives were more supportive than others, some were better informed. The audience challenged comments and by the end of the session it appeared there was an overall commitment to express concerns to the Education Minister.

CRC and Youthnet are committed to follow up on the questions posed at the Conference.

Watch this space!