News Release Page Title

22 March 2007

GOVERNMENT EXPECTS END TO PARAMILITARISM

A project to free communities from the influence of paramilitaries is to continue for a further three years.

Announcing the decision today, the Social Development Minister David Hanson MP said:

“Last year the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Hain MP announced that the Government would fund the development stage of a conflict transformation initiative with the Ulster Political Research Group.

“The development stage of the project is now complete and I have decided to fund the project for a further three years at a cost of £400,000 per annum.”

Commenting on the success of the development project Mr Hanson said:

“As the Secretary of State identified when he agreed to support the development project, trying to transform parts of society that have suffered most from the grip of paramilitaries and criminality is not easy and not without risk.

“Working with community representatives and key organisations in six loyalist areas, this project has begun to develop real working arrangements that are beginning to make a difference and are helping to turn these areas away from paramilitarism and criminality.

“The development work has led to an action plan that has identified a clear path towards the ending of paramilitary influence and control of communities. This work is a further development of the Renewing Communities Programme announced last year that focuses on freeing communities from the influence of criminality and paramilitarism.

“I expect that this additional support will deliver a quickening in pace of the work of the UPRG in their conflict transformation work that the latest IMC report identified was required.”

The project will be administered by Farset Community Enterprises, a well established and respected community organisation based in North West Belfast. It will be closely monitored by officials from the Department for Social Development. Continued funding over the three years will be dependent on evidence that there is a reduction in criminal activity and paramilitarism. Future reports of the IMC will be a significant consideration.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The Department for Social Development (DSD) funded the development stage of this project. This has taken six months at a cost of £135,000. The project enabled the employment of workers by Farset Community Enterprises to engage with community representatives to consider the scope for a conflict transformation initiative focussed on the UDA.

  2. The views of key stakeholders were sought in disadvantaged protestant communities across Northern Ireland as to how the conflict transformation initiative can be delivered. They were asked how mechanisms can be established to deliver ongoing engagement with those communities.

  3. In October an International Foundation Workshop took place to explore what lessons can be learned both regionally and internationally to inform a process of transition for loyalist communities in Northern Ireland. Project workers participated in the conference to inform the development of the project.

  4. A detailed evaluation of the pilot project together with a detailed action plan has been provided. The Action Plan addresses four themes:

    5. Engaging hard to reach Loyalist communities in the peace building process.

    Ending all paramilitary activity in Protestant working class communities.

    Achieving a measurable reduction in levels of crime and anti social behaviour within target communities.

    Moving towards conflict resolution, a shared peaceful and prosperous future

  5. The initiative is consistent with the Renewing Communities Action Plan which identified as a key theme the need to free communities from the influence of criminality and paramilitarism.

  6. The project will be subject to stringent requirements with regard to monitoring and evaluation. As for the development stage, the project will be administered by Farset Community Enterprises. Year on year funding will be dependent on evidence of a reduction in criminality and paramilitary activity in the target communities.

  7. Media enquiries to DSD Information Office 028 9082 9490 / 028 9082 9078.

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