29/05/2003

Lord Mayor meets Secretary of State to discuss sectarianism

Secretary of State, Paul Murphy has met with the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alex Maskey, to discuss how Belfast City Council will tackle sectarianism in the city over the next three years.

The event was a follow up to other meetings held throughout the year with Minister of State, Des Browne, as well as the Prime Minister and Taioseach to consider proposals by the Council and by Central Government to deal with sectarianism within the community at large and deal with community relations in the city.

Commenting on the meeting, the Lord Mayor said: “We recognise the importance of working in partnership to achieve these aims and following a Council resolution last June condemning sectarian violence, we have forged links with organisations across many sectors through the establishment of a Good Relations Steering Panel including representatives from churches, trade unions, the business sector and the Community Relations Council."

Cllr Maskey said this Panel would continue to drive forward work in making Belfast "a more stable, tolerant, fair and pluralist society”.

The Secretary of State in outlining the key initiatives within ‘A Shared Future’, the Consultation Paper produced by OFMDFM on improving relations in NI society, stressed the importance of avoiding duplication of effort and the need to continue to implement and monitor the work being done in this important area.

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