Lyttle says there has been little progress on OFMDFM’s shared future plans

Alliance OFMDFM spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said that there has been little progress by the First and deputy First Minister on their shared future strategy ‘Together: Building a United Community’ which was launched in May this year. His comments were made after officials updated the OFMDFM Committee on the strategy.

Chris Lyttle MLA said: “I was shocked that so little progress has been made since OFMDFM published their shared future plans in May this year.

“The report commissioned in 2012 by OFMDFM to help produce good relations policy stated that fundamental institutional change is needed to address the deep divisions in our community. The Alliance Party has stated that OFMDFM’s shared future plans would fail to achieve this. The lack of timescales and delivery targets has done nothing to address these concerns.

“This report highlighted the importance of the expansion of integrated education and collaborative working between schools, but OFMDFM has yet to begin work to identify ten shared education campuses that their strategy promised. They have also failed to identify or receive recommendations for ten shared neighbourhood projects.

“The Alliance Executive Ministers are working hard to deliver their commitments in OFMDFM’s strategy but it is incumbent on all Ministers to work together to deliver a shared future for everyone.

“I have previously said that their plans must meet the ambitions of the community. The lack of detailed plans so far would suggest that the DUP and Sinn Fein are failing to meet these ambitions.”

ENDS