Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “It’s clear to see that we need to start addressing duplication due to division in our society in order to protect vital services.
“Unlocking the cost of segregation is something which will take time but the sooner we start doing so the sooner money can be redirected to protecting key services. We need to show vision in order to deal with what will be a very difficult situation in terms of public finances and ending division will free up £1 billion annually.
“The pressures being places on public finances are massive and we need to make sure that we start to tackle division, not just for financial reasons but also to help in building a shared future and a united community.”
ENDS