Community Relations Council

In a statement Mr Elliott said:

At the Ulster Unionist Party Conference this weekend I am extremely pleased that we will be joined by Duncan Morrow, the Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council. He will lead a discussion on the First and deputy First Minister's draft Programme for Cohesion Sharing and Integration. The Community Relations Council does outstanding work in bringing people in Northern Ireland together and their contribution, especially during the Troubles, should not be underestimated

I have two young children and I want to build a Northern Ireland for them that is based on a genuinely shared future. I want them to grow up in a settled Northern Ireland within the Union that everyone is content to be part of. I want them to respect and understand people from different cultures and I want them to live in a prosperous, open and welcoming place.

Such a future will not just appear from nowhere. Ulster Unionists know more than most the effort, commitment, bravery and sacrifice it takes to build a better Northern Ireland - it takes more than is on offer from the Sinn Fein/DUP failure.

As we all face an extremely challenging economic period, it is vital that we build a society that others want to invest in; it is vital that we tackle segregation in our most deprived areas and it is vital that we challenge dissident terrorists by working together for a common goal.

The UUP is up for this challenge, prepared as always to challenge ourselves first - some in recent weeks have used fine words about a New Northern Ireland - but their past and present actions contradict their language - the people of Northern Ireland deserve and need more than mere words.

I will work with my SDLP colleagues and any other Party who genuinely wants to move Northern Ireland forward. Sinn Fein and the DUP would have our differences frozen in suspended animation - this dangerous approach could lead us back to the past rather into a brighter future - we cannot let this happen.