Neeson hails process proposals for removal of peace lines

Alliance MLA Seán Neeson has welcomed the plans for a process to remove peace walls put forward by academic Tony Macauley. Mr Macauley addressed a meeting on the issue in the Shankill Road area last night. Mr Neeson called for the Stormont Executive to take the initiative and start consulting the community with a view to ending this form of segregation.

Séan Neeson MLA stated: “I want to see a process started whereby the community is consulted with a view to dismantling peacelines.

“It’s time that the Stormont Executive took a pro-active approach to removing peace walls and all other forms of segregation. Obviously peace walls can only be taken down if it’s safe to do so, but the Executive must start examining which walls can now be removed.

“£1 billion is wasted annually on funding segregation in Northern Ireland. We have too many schools and services catering for only one side of the community or the other. What we need in order to save this £1 billion are more integrate schools and shared services instead of duplication.

“Given the current economic climate, it is almost criminal that such a massive amount of money is wasted by the Executive. If they are serious about a shared future, they must start looking into removing peace walls.

“We will continue to keep the pressure on the Executive to start ending division. Northern Ireland simply cannot afford not to do so.”

ENDS