Forward Together – Page 3 – Slugger O'Toole

‘Transformative decisions on Northern Ireland have not been taken’, laments Peter Osborne

Paul Gosling on August 19, 2019, 7:01 am

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Northern Ireland is more than 20 years into a 50 year peace process, which is being held back because government here has failed to take the radical transformative steps that are required. This is the view of Peter Osborne, the former chair of the Community Relations Council, in the latest Forward Together podcast. Peter explains: “We are in a process that will last at least 50 years. Some people thought when the [Good Friday] agreement was signed, we had peace. …

Deal with disadvantage before unity, argues Senator Mark Daly

Paul Gosling on August 5, 2019, 7:01 am

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To achieve a united Ireland without a return to conflict requires northern society to resolve the problems of its communities that contain deep-seated deprivation and alienation, argues Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly. Mark is the former chair of the Oireachtas Good Friday Agreement Implementation Committee and was interviewed for the latest Forward Together podcast shortly after the release of his report, ‘Returning to violence as a result of a hard border due to Brexit or a rushed border poll: risks …

Expand ‘community planning’ and focus on wellbeing, urges McGinley

Paul Gosling on July 29, 2019, 7:01 am

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Community planning provides a model that builds on the tradition of the “very strong community spirit that prevailed in Northern Ireland” during the Troubles, argues Aideen McGinley in the latest Forward Trust podcast. McGinley is a trustee of Carnegie UK, co-chair of its embedding wellbeing project in Northern Ireland and a former senior civil servant. Aideen stresses that we need to be positive rather than fearful as we look to the future. “The bottom line is that people do not …

Eames-Bradley process ‘should have done more to take the Irish government with it’ – says Denis Bradley

Paul Gosling on July 15, 2019, 7:01 am

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The Eames-Bradley process should have engaged more closely with the Irish government and ensured it was on board with the recommendations, says co-chair Denis Bradley in the latest Forward Together podcast. Eames-Bradley – properly called the Consultative Group on the Past – was published more than a decade ago and was intended to provide a way of dealing with the past and the needs and concerns of victims and survivors.Denis says “I do [think the] report itself is an extremely …

‘Looking at how we got here can help us deal with the present and the future’, argues historical geographer

Paul Gosling on July 12, 2019, 7:01 am

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A better understanding of our history is important as a means of bringing our society together, believes Anthony Russell of the Thomas D’Arcy McGee Foundation. “One of the things that we have been trying to do in the Thomas D’Arcy McGee Foundation is to use history as a tool for reconciliation, rather than something that has to be fought over,” he explains. “Looking at how we got here” can help us to deal with the challenges we face today, says …

Making progress on parading – can Northern Ireland learn from Derry-Londonderry?

Paul Gosling on July 8, 2019, 7:01 am

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As Northern Ireland moves towards what will hopefully be a peaceful 12th July, the manager of ‘the Derry Model’, Maeve McLoughlin – a former Sinn Fein MLA – reflects on how peaceful parading was negotiated, after years of conflict and tension in Derry-Londonderry. “It was spurred on by a commitment to the city,” she says, “and by people who genuinely wanted to be in a better place. “That was the feeling of the Apprentice Boys as well. They love …

‘We need an agency to promote social integration’, says Father Martin Magill

Paul Gosling on July 5, 2019, 7:01 am

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Northern Ireland needs a body lobbying for social integration, learning from the success of the Integrated Education Fund in its work promoting integrated schools, says Father Martin Magill. Without an agency pushing the integrated housing agenda, it will be difficult to make sufficient progress, he says. Martin was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “I grew up living in a neighbourhood where my next door neighbour was Presbyterian; further on down the road Church of Ireland; further down the …

New way of consulting with civic society is part of the talks negotiations, discloses Naomi Long

Paul Gosling on July 1, 2019, 8:00 am

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Creating a new mechanism for consulting with civic society is part of the talks negotiations aimed at getting Stormont back, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long has disclosed. Naomi is a newly elected MEP, former MP and has just resigned her role as an MLA. She was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “We need to find a role for engaging with civil society,” suggests Naomi. “I think there is a lot of good work that goes on in our …

‘Social integration begins with integrated education and integrated housing’

Paul Gosling on June 28, 2019, 7:00 am

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For Northern Ireland to become more integrated, there has to be a greater focus on integrated schools and integrated housing, argues the chief executive of the Integrated Education Fund, Tina Merron. She was interviewed for the latest Forward Together podcast. “I think the majority of people in Northern Ireland want a shared future and a united community,” says Tina. “We need to give civil society more of a say. We need to encourage people to speak up and especially young …

‘Stephen Nolan needs to find the right balance – and not make angry people angrier’

Paul Gosling on June 17, 2019, 7:00 am

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Stephen Nolan needs to find the right balance between allowing people to express their emotions, without making angry people even angrier. The plea was made in the latest Forward Together podcast by Sinn Fein MLA and former finance minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir. “In this often divided society, I think the tone and timbre of the debate has to be respectful,” says Máirtín. “We have to find ways of not feeding the ratings monster, not sectarianising a discussion, which has huge sectarian …

‘Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past! (But we are.)’

Paul Gosling on June 14, 2019, 7:00 am

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Northern Ireland is “a society that is still emerging from conflict”, warns Conal McFeely, chief executive of one of Northern Ireland’s largest and most successful not-for-profit businesses, the Ráth Mór Centre[i] in Derry. He was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “We must collectively not allow ourselves to make the same political mistakes – and the failure of governance – that we’ve done in the past,” Conal says, before adding “but sadly I believe that we are at the moment”. …

‘We have lost ground in the past 20 years’, claims PUP’s John Kyle

Paul Gosling on June 10, 2019, 7:00 am

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Society in Northern Ireland has gone backwards since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, argues the former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party John Kyle, who is also a GP in Belfast. “In my view we have lost ground in the past 20 years,” he says in the latest Forward Together podcast. John believes that we need to review the progress that was achieved and consider why it has lost momentum. He suggests three factors enabled the conflict to …

‘Citizens’ Assembly could help progress with health reform’, suggests Simon Hamilton

Paul Gosling on June 3, 2019, 7:00 am

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The adoption of a citizens’ assembly could assist with making progress with reform of the health service in Northern Ireland, says Simon Hamilton – a DUP MLA and former health and finance minister. He was interviewed in the latest ‘Forward Together’ podcast. Speaking about the use of citizens’ assemblies in the Republic of Ireland, Simon explains: “They shouldn’t be dismissed instantly just because you didn’t like what some other jurisdiction was doing with them.” He adds: “I know from my …

‘Let’s create an all-island, integrated, health service, and let’s begin now’

Paul Gosling on May 31, 2019, 7:00 am

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There needs to be an all-island, integrated, health service, and its creation should not be dependent upon the agreement or timing of a united Ireland, argues Professor Jim Dornan – one of the architects of existing cross-border co-operation in health services. Jim was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “In many ways Ireland is a Goldilocks sized country for health provision,” he explains. “We can cherry pick the best of health provision throughout the world and let’s introduce it …

“Justice for victims is giving them a society that works”

Paul Gosling on May 27, 2019, 7:00 am

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Justice for victims is achieved by “giving them a society that works”, says Fergus O’Dowd TD of Fine Gael. He is a member of the Oireachtas Good Friday Implementation Committee and was appointed earlier this year by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to lead a new Fine Gael group to develop links with Northern Ireland. He is interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. Discussing how to deal with events of the past, Fergus stresses that victims and their relatives must be …

‘Women lose out in Northern Ireland’

Paul Gosling on May 24, 2019, 7:00 am

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More must be done in Northern Ireland to make society open for women and for minorities, argues Alexandra De La Torre, the co-ordinator for NICVA of the Next Chapter, which has the objective of strengthening women’s engagement in civic society and participation in society. Alexandra is interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “I think it is fundamental for civil society to create spaces where there is room for everyone,” she says. “Spaces that are inclusive for women, inclusive for …

‘We have a political process instead of a peace process’

Paul Gosling on May 20, 2019, 7:00 am

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Northern Ireland has “had a political process at the cost of a peace process”, believes Clare Bailey MLA, the leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland. She is highly critical of the limited progress since the Good Friday Agreement 21 years ago and the lack of real social integration. She was speaking in the latest Forward Together podcast. Clare questions who has benefited since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. “Certainly within the working class and the most …

In praise of Citizens’ Assemblies – Peter Sheridan believes they can provide solutions to some of Northern Ireland’s most intractable problems

Paul Gosling on May 17, 2019, 7:00 am

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Citizens’ assemblies should be widely used to address the problems faced by communities across Northern Ireland, argues Peter Sheridan, the chief executive of Co-operation Ireland. He was interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. “It works in Canada, it works in Iceland: there are examples all around the world.” Speaking before the murder of Lyra McKee, Peter continues: “You pick an area and pick a problem, you randomly select a group of people from the electoral register and depending on …

‘Political leadership is key to making progress’

Paul Gosling on May 13, 2019, 7:00 am

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Developing mutual respect, strengthening relationships and building proper political leadership are the basis for making progress in Northern Ireland, believes independent unionist MLA – and former justice minister – Claire Sugden. She is interviewed in the latest Forward Together podcast. Talking before the announcement of renewed political talks, Claire expressed her frustration at the lack of a functioning Assembly and Executive. “We’ve had a situation here at Stormont where we haven’t had a sitting assembly for two years. And I …

“A leadership vacuum” that must be filled

Paul Gosling on May 10, 2019, 7:00 am

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A leadership vacuum is causing harm across Northern Ireland, including in loyalist areas, and contributes to the lure of paramilitaries, warns victims’ campaigner Alan McBride in the latest Forward Together podcast. “I think we probably need to put a lot of investment into areas like East Belfast and the Shankill and other areas to try and improve the leadership potential,” he argues. Alan adds: “As a grassroots working class Protestant loyalist myself, I have a real feel for that community. …