Sectarianism - It Hasn't Gone Away You Know...
Tuesday 11 March 08
It seems that the new administration at Stormont, is keen to downplay the impact of sectarianism in Northern Ireland/the North of Ireland (depending on which party you are talking to!). The previous Direct Rule administration had put in place a policy in 2005 called 'A Shared Future', which according to the press release, promised:
The Government's vision for the future of Northern Ireland is that of a peaceful, prosperous, stable and fair society firmly founded on the achievement ofreconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust and the protection and vindication of human rights for all. Thefounding principles of partnership, equality and mutual respect ensure a basis for good relationships.
That administration also commissioned some research on the costs of division in Northern Ireland. The research was carried out by Global consulting firm Deloitte, and they estimated the cost of division in Northern Ireland annually at 1.5 billion pounds. To put that enormous figure into some kind of context, the total annual budget for the Northern Ireland Executive in the coming year (2008/09) is just under 7.6 billion pounds.
The largest additional cost is in terms of policing (around half a billion pounds per year) with the rest of the costs coming in terms of seperate services or duplication of services, divisions in education and housing. The report was released very quietly indeed last summer, and can't be found on the Assembly websites. If you're interested, you can download it here. It is a large file, so give it time to download (PDF file).
The Executive has gone to great lengths to explain that it must concentrate on building the Northern Ireland economy, at the cost in the short-term of social housing, health and education. Yet they have decided to turn a blind eye to a massive opportunity to significantly boost all of their budgets by promoting a shared society.
Of course, it is not that simple. It is not a matter of instantly making that kind of money available for social and economic projects - it will (as Deloitte were keen to point out) take many years to realise the full benefits of a shared society. However there is a really important issue of direction. If the 'A Shared Future' policy is burried, what will replace it. More difficult still, if we want a shared society, can we get it from the politicans we have when they arguably have a vested interest in keeping sectarianism alive (if less viscious), as it is the basis of their mandate? Would people continue to vote the same way if they were less fearful of the 'other side'?
We would love to hear your views on these issues. Do you think that sectarianism is still an issue in Northern Ireland, or do you think we (and others) should shut up about it and move on? Can we build a vibrant economy without addressing the legacy of the conflict and the deep divisions that underpin(ned) it? Or do you think that sectarianism is the fault of a small number of extremists and that everyone else has moved on? After a recent spate of attacks on Orange Halls, churches (of both 'traditions') and individuals and families and growth of sectarianism's ugly twin - racism - isn't it time to address this problem seriously, structurally and (excuse the term) fundementally if we are truly to become a shared society? Tell us in our discussion forum - or even call us if you want to speak on camera or make a film about the issues this article raises.
