Alliance Opposition to Programme for Government
13 November 2000
THE Alliance Party will today (Monday) be making serious criticisms of the draft Programme for Government for its failure to address the deep divisions that remain in Northern Ireland, and to promote an agenda of sharing over separation.
The debate on the draft Programme for Government begins in Stormont on Monday.
Speaking in advance of the debate, Alliance Chief Whip, David Ford said:
"Despite the Agreement, the biggest problem in Northern Ireland remains the deep divisions in our society.
"When Alliance launched its Alternative Programme of Government last month, we highlighted a central theme of promoting sharing over separation.
"While the Executive's draft Programme of Government does have many positive policy suggestions, it fundamentally fails to address the divisions in this society - divisions that could ultimately destroy the Agreement if they are not addressed.
"The flowery rhetoric at the beginning of the document belies the reality that there is for instance only one line on integrated education in 85 pages, there is no mention of promoting mixed housing, there is no detailed strategy for improving community relations, no measures to tackle the proliferation of flags and sectarian graffiti on public property, and no plans to appraise policies for their impact on sharing over separation."
"Alliance intends to highlight these deficiencies in today's debate and urges the Executive to correct this major problem."
Notes to editors:
Alliance is the only opposition party to have produced its own alternative to the Executive's document. The following are just some areas which Alliance believes have not been adequately covered in the draft Programme for Government.
Alliance wants all Government policies to be proofed to ensure they promote sharing over separation. The Programme for Government only calls for policies to be 'rural proofed'.
Alliance wants to boost the number of pupils in integrated education to 10 percent by 2010 through the transformation of existing schools. The Government only proposes to relax criteria for new integrated schools.
Alliance has called for the integration of public housing. The Programme for Government merely calls for more home ownership while saying the Executive will look at the existing patterns of housing.
Alliance has called for more funding for community relations projects. The Executive says it is committed to improving community relations - but has few policy proposals.
Alliance wants the Committee of the Centre to investigate the barriers people entering into mixed marriages face. There is no mention of this in the Programme for Government.
Alliance has called for a Children's Commissioner. No mention in Programme for Government.
Alliance has called for action to be taken on the proliferation of illegal flags and graffiti in public spaces. No mention in Programme for Government.
ENDS
13 November 2000
17 October 2000
Education change "for the sake of improvement": Bell
Speaking in the Assembly debate on the Gallagher Report, Eileen Bell said:
“This resolution is timely, insofar that we should state, LOUD AND CLEAR, that consultation on this important issue should be as wide, as comprehensive and, of course, as effective as possible.
“We must ensure that all interested parties, from teachers to parent, will be adequately consulted, so that, as far as possible, the most satisfactory outcome is achieved for the good of all the pupils that it will affect.
“Again, I have to say, Mr Speaker, that I find this resolution extremely timely, because of the Press Release which outlined the first stages of the consultation process. The meetings so far planned are to be by invitation only, for school principals and representatives of educational and other related organisations in the field.
“We are told that public meetings will be held by the Review Body when they set up their programme. I await the details of these meetings with great interest, and I trust that they will be both many and widespread, and that they will be held in the very near future !
“There are a great number of parents, with 7, 8 and 9 year- old children, who are fervently hoping that they, and theirs, will not have to deal with the stresses currently endured by P5 and P6 pupils and their families. These parents not only want to attend the meetings, but are entitled to have their say, to have their questions answered and to have their heart-felt concerns met. These are the people who need to be listened to, and to be reassured that, whatever option is finally chosen, it is the best way forward for their children, and indeed, all the children of Northern Ireland.
“We, in the Alliance party, will be looking closely at the record of all-ability integrated schools, as they will show us how a modern comprehensive system might look.
"I am sure that all sections of our community will approach this in a constructive way, because it must be clearly seen to be an all-inclusive real consultation, that is not predetermined at any stage by ‘ experts ‘, but will ensure that we get the education system that our society, our economy, but, most of all, our children deserve.
“Finally, Mr Speaker, it goes without saying that our current system, which brands a large number of our future citizens FAILURES when they have lived, at most, 1/6th of their lives must be radically changed, but it also must be said that we do not want change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of improvement.“
“This resolution is timely, insofar that we should state, LOUD AND CLEAR, that consultation on this important issue should be as wide, as comprehensive and, of course, as effective as possible.
“We must ensure that all interested parties, from teachers to parent, will be adequately consulted, so that, as far as possible, the most satisfactory outcome is achieved for the good of all the pupils that it will affect.
“Again, I have to say, Mr Speaker, that I find this resolution extremely timely, because of the Press Release which outlined the first stages of the consultation process. The meetings so far planned are to be by invitation only, for school principals and representatives of educational and other related organisations in the field.
“We are told that public meetings will be held by the Review Body when they set up their programme. I await the details of these meetings with great interest, and I trust that they will be both many and widespread, and that they will be held in the very near future !
“There are a great number of parents, with 7, 8 and 9 year- old children, who are fervently hoping that they, and theirs, will not have to deal with the stresses currently endured by P5 and P6 pupils and their families. These parents not only want to attend the meetings, but are entitled to have their say, to have their questions answered and to have their heart-felt concerns met. These are the people who need to be listened to, and to be reassured that, whatever option is finally chosen, it is the best way forward for their children, and indeed, all the children of Northern Ireland.
“We, in the Alliance party, will be looking closely at the record of all-ability integrated schools, as they will show us how a modern comprehensive system might look.
"I am sure that all sections of our community will approach this in a constructive way, because it must be clearly seen to be an all-inclusive real consultation, that is not predetermined at any stage by ‘ experts ‘, but will ensure that we get the education system that our society, our economy, but, most of all, our children deserve.
“Finally, Mr Speaker, it goes without saying that our current system, which brands a large number of our future citizens FAILURES when they have lived, at most, 1/6th of their lives must be radically changed, but it also must be said that we do not want change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of improvement.“
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