Community relations in NI deteriorating, claims book

A new book published later this month is to reveal that despite the Race Relations Order, community relations in Northern Ireland, particularly among Protestants, have deteriorated.

The book, 'Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland: The Ninth Report', is based on data from the joint Queen's University and University of Ulster annual Life and Times Survey, and explores a wide range of issues that are central to life in Northern Ireland.

Topics in the book include the extent of change in attitudes centred on religion, politics and community relations. Other chapters contribute to the more general social policy debate and include health, social capital, lifelong learning, men's issues, culture and attitudes to work.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the book, Dame Joan Harbison, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland said: "It is important that we know what people are thinking and feeling if we are to have better public policy and a more equal society.

"This is particularly significant for the Commission because of our responsibility for overseeing public bodies’ statutory duty to take account of equality in all their policies. This book is a useful tool for all those concerned with social and political debate here, especially at a time when consultation and exchange is so important.”

Key points to emerge from the book include:

• People in Northern Ireland want to be involved in health-care decisions that affect them.
• The majority of adults (86%) believe that learning in later life opens up a whole new world.
• Two thirds of respondents think that people have no say in what the government does.
• Half of respondents feel that the ability to decide their times or days of work is very important.
• Two thirds of respondents feel that a Northern Ireland Assembly should have most influence over the way Northern Ireland is run.

Katrina Lloyd, one of the editors, said the book is an essential resource on attitudes to social and political issues in contemporary Northern Ireland.

"Chapters have been written by an authoritative group of academics and those involved in informing policy-making within the community," she said.

The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey puts on record the attitudes, values and beliefs of the people in Northern Ireland on a wide range of social policy issues.

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