Ford welcomes Robinson and McGuinness community relations breakthrough

4.54.00pm GMT Tue 23rd Feb 2010

Making progress on building a united community is vital for the future of Northern Ireland and is Alliance's number one priority.

Alliance Leader David Ford has welcomed news that the First and Deputy First Ministers have agreed a new community relations strategy for Northern Ireland. The Cohesion, Sharing and Integration strategy had been delayed for around two years and will now be circulated to other Ministers in the Executive.

David Ford said: "Alliance has been seeking clear and definitive progress between the DUP and Sinn Fein around the blockage on the new community relations strategy.

"Making progress on building a united community is vital for the future of Northern Ireland and is Alliance's number one priority. The creation of a shared future is also central to the smooth delivery of policing and justice.

"We now have a document agreed by both DUP and Sinn Fein which should shortly go out for public consultation. This is a positive step forward for everyone in Northern Ireland.

"Alliance looks forward to examining this document in detail. We will be making suggestions during the consultation process and when it comes to Committee.

"A document is only a start. What matters is delivery and Alliance will be holding the First and Deputy First Ministers, and in fact the entire Executive, to account on how well they deliver."