Cohesion, Sharing and Integration policy and Public Sector Cuts

Ray Mullan, Communications Director at the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council proposes an alternative strategy to public spending cuts in the region by tackling the costly problem of sectarian violence and segregation.

Workers in all sectors will be well aware of the current threat posed to employment, public  services and the standard of living created by the global recession, the slump in the property market  and public bail-out of the financial institutions. In Northern Ireland where there has been greater dependence on public sector jobs the threat is particularly acute.

While no-one doubts that there are difficult times ahead as the Westminster government seeks to reduce public spending  Northern Ireland has it within its power to minimise that impact by tackling sectarianism and segregation in a root and branch way.  Sectarianism is a millstone around our necks. It has been estimated that the cost of sectarian division here is £1.5 billion.  Apart from the damage to property, business, tourism and investment by sectarian violence and disputes and the cost of policing a divided society there is also the waste and inefficiency of making separate community provision in education, housing and other public services in order to maintain segregation.    

Major savings are possible in the public purse if we can commit ourselves to building a society which is more cohesive, shared and integrated.  Moreover such a society would be much more attractive to inward investment.  Such a transformation will not be achieved overnight although many people, including the Community Relations Council,  have already been actively working in this direction for years.  But a serious commitment to change can bring about short as well as long term benefits.  An extension of Shared  Housing schemes and a more robust and determined approach to shared schools  could produce major savings, particularly at a time of major cuts in capital investment.  Engaging young people more systematically to understand and respect diversity could reduce summer madness.

The OFMDFM consultation proposals on Cohesion, Sharing and Integration (CSI) produced in 2010 were a first step in this direction by locally elected politicians but they needed  greater vision, vigour and a more convincing and joined-up action plan.  Moreover with spending cuts ahead it is a matter of urgency that we put a plan in place that allows us to deal with this as a shared society.

Ray Mullan

CRC Director of Communications