'Delivery Team' to tackle disadvantaged loyalist communities

NIO Minister David Hanson today announced the establishment of a high level 'Delivery Team' to address the needs of disadvantaged loyalist communities.

Mr Hanson made this announcement during a visit to the Greater Shankill Community Council and the Shankill Community Convention on Tuesday.

The Minister said it was important that Government’s efforts in addressing the needs of disadvantaged loyalist communities, "whilst considerable", benefit from better co-ordination with services more closely connected to those communities.

"The Secretary of State has tasked me with driving forward this matter and to help achieve this I have established a Delivery Team, chaired by the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Nigel Hamilton, which will report directly to me," Mr Hanson said.

The Minister also indicated that an early priority of the Delivery Team would be to take forward the findings of a Taskforce set up last year to address concerns that Government policy was not impacting on Protestant working class areas.

“A Taskforce was established in 2004 in response to points made consistently by the representatives of Protestant working class communities, that Government policies and plans are not having sufficient impact in their areas," he said.

"The new Delivery Team will take the current findings of the Taskforce, which is due to report soon, and ensure that real outcomes are delivered on the ground. Targets will be set for this work and regular assessments against these targets will be maintained."

Mr Hanson said he believed the solution lay in securing better engagement and participation of local communities to ensure effective delivery of public services.

"I will be encouraging the Delivery Team to drive forward their work through the existing policies and programmes across Government, to ensure a co-ordinated response to real needs on the ground," he concluded.

(MB/GB)