Kieran McCarthy MLA stated: “Stormont Ministers cannot continue to fail to address the social and financial costs of segregation in Northern Ireland.
“Northern Ireland needs a concrete strategy across all government departments that will culminate in the removal of segregation. We have not yet seen or heard of anything of this nature from the Executive. Given the current economic climate, it is more important than ever that this unnecessary drain on resources is addressed
“A start must be made to removing the trappings of division in our society. Segregation in our education system is wrong. Local children must be given the best chance in life, and that means being educated in an integrated or shared environment that reflects the new realities in Northern Ireland.
“Maintaining a divided society here means that £1 billion annually is deprived from vital frontline services for local people. That lost cash is hurting our health service, hurting our education system and hurting our economy. Alliance will continue to push for this important issue to be tackled. We want the best services to be delivered for people in Northern Ireland and we will not settle for anything less.”
ENDS