Allliance backs integrated housing and states it was needed decades ago

10.49.51am GMT Tue 7th Nov 2006

Belfast Alliance Councillor, Mervyn Jones

Alliance Party Housing Spokesperson, Cllr Mervyn Jones has backed government plans to create integrated housing in the North West Quarter of Belfast, but said the scheme should have been introduced decades ago to help combat sectarianism. Today Minister David Hanson launched the plans as part of a blueprint for regenerating the area which includes Carrick Hill and Brown's Square.

The Belfast City Councillor said: "I welcome this blueprint, but this type of scheme should have been introduced decades ago to help build a more stable and shared society.

"These plans are a small step in the right direction. However, if shared housing schemes had been implemented decades ago, parts of Northern Ireland would never have been ghettoized and sectarianism might have been eradicated.

"Alliance wants to see shared future for all in Northern Ireland.

"It costs 1 billion pounds per to keep our society divided. This is a disgraceful waste of the public's money. If we stopped segregation here, we would have a billion pounds extra yearly to invest in health, education and public transport."

"We need integrated housing across Northern Ireland so that people from every background can live side by side."

ENDS