Loyalist areas to receive £33 million cash boost

The government has announced a £33 million cash boost to improve health and education facilities in working class loyalist areas in Belfast.

Social Development Minister, David Hanson today urged leaders in Protestant communities to work with government to tackle deprivation.

The Minister was speaking as he launched a cross-departmental Action Plan, 'Renewing Communities,' in response to the Task Force report published today outlining the needs of protestant communities within the Belfast area.

The report included strategies to tackle areas of major dereliction such as the Lower Shankill, Inner East Belfast, Shore Road and Lower Oldpark and a new 'Fast Track' initiative to encourage young people to stay on in education and training after the age of 16.

Mr Hanson also announced that a £3 million 'Areas of Risk' programme, which will initially focus on 10 pilot areas, would also be launched.

In addition to the "Renewing Communities" package, the Minister also revealed that the Department of Employment and Learning are to build a £13.5 million Workforce and Economic Development Centre in the Springvale area of West Belfast, which will provide an outreach programme throughout Belfast.

The Development Minister explained that the Action Plan placed priority on improving educational attainment: "I have agreed with Angela Smith that we establish targets to ensure that no child leaves school without basic literary and numeracy skills."

He said: "The Government believes in a fair and inclusive society where people living in Northern Ireland's most disadvantaged communities can access the right support, realise opportunities to achieve their best potential and make the best possible contribution to society. However it has become clear that many Government interventions to tackle disadvantage do not always have the same impact in many Protestant communities."

The Minister added that if these shortcomings were not addressed these communities could deteriorate further, exacerbating poverty and disadvantage and he warned that this could have adverse consequences for the future in terms of political stability and establishing good relations.

Mr Hanson also said that tackling disadvantage needed to become more focused.

He said that the priorities were educational disadvantage; social cohesion; active citizenship; and civic leadership.

He said an overriding issue was the need to address the transformation of paramilitary organisations to modern society.

(EF/SP)