Executive statement addresses the need to curb social unrest

Proposals from the Minister for Finance and Personnel regarding the allocation of additional resources agreed during the June financial monitoring round have been revealed.

In the statement, released on Thursday July 26, The Executive has agreed to allocate an additional £14 million to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to deal with pressures in health and social services in 2001/02. It was also agreed to provide an additional £4 million to the Department for Regional Development for the structural maintenance of roads.

The Executive furthermore discussed the future of the port of Belfast, approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Belfast Harbour Commissioners and the Department for Regional Development, and in so doing the Executive established the need to protect the public interest and, where necessary, to balance commercial considerations against this.

In addition, in light of the continuing civil unrest in north Belfast the Northern Ireland Executive has issued a statement asking the Community Relations Unit to examine and suggest any steps the Executive could take to support efforts to foster dialogue between local communities.

The Executive said they were concerned about the ongoing incidents of public disorder. They also expressed alarm at the current upsurge in sectarian attacks, which have often been targeted against the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the community.

The Executive urged those with influence to do all they could to bring these events to a halt, and welcomed the efforts already being made on the ground to find a way of achieving that objective. (AMcE)