Tuesday 9th September 2003

Attendees:

• Angela Clarke – DSD
• Neil Jarman – Institute for Conflict Research
• Gráinne Kelly – Democratic Dialogue
• Billy Leonard – INCORE
• Dominic McCullough – OFM/DFM
• Rab McCallum - Ardoyne Focus Group
• Roisin McGlone – SICDP
• Roisin O’Hagan – INCORE
• Chris O’Halloran – Belfast Interface Project
• Patricia O’Neill – Community Relations Council
  

Key interface needs/issues:

• Lack of long-term thought-out strategy for interface areas
• Lack of strategy to prevent/stop potential interfaces from developing
• Lack of strategy to prevent/stop progression of interfaces from ‘soft to hard’ areas
• Lack of holistic approach in dealing with interface problems
• Lack of recognition for work being carried out at the interface areas
• Difficulties with funding
  • long, drawn-out funding applications
  • funders main focus on bureaucratic accounting procedures, rather than the work the interface groups are carrying out
  • not responsive to local needs on the ground
• Overall lack of statutory body/government ‘dealing’ with interfaces
• Lack of co-ordination of plans for Belfast as a whole

What can be achieved?

It was acknowledged that the following 3 main areas need to be brought together to maximise effectiveness:

• Funding
• Key organisations/people who should be involved
• Community
  

Other key points:

• Civil servant/statutory officials – need officials with community experience
• Weak infrastructure within the communities – any capacity that exists is being eroded e.g. workers committed to interface are on month-to-month contracts, no long-term security
• The ‘quiet summer’ is a result of a tremendous amount of work – this amount of work is not always acknowledged.
• Communities struggling to have a voice – ‘Shared Future’ – many people are not aware of Shared Future document
• Conferences/workshops have been organised before with funders and statutory officials – Community Groups feel
  they are not being ‘listened’ to – community groups feel their input isn’t taken on board
• 3 problems – the conflict, legacy of violence and lack of facilities – still need to be addressed
• If there was a will the interface problems could be solved
• Intra-community – problems with local leadership: e.g. infighting, which causes problems for intra-community relationships
• Role of LSP’s – can they and if so should they have a key role in addressing interface issues?