Examination of Witnesses (Questions 360
- 362)
MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2004
MS HAZEL
FRANCEY, MR
GERRY MCBRIDE
AND MS
CLARE MULLEN
Q360 Mr Tynan: If additional funding
was made available, what would be the priorities for support and
why?
Ms Francey: I think training staff,
not just public sector staff that have to train under Section
75, but training from a very broad perspective. There have been
social atitude surveys undertaken which show that children as
young as three show evidence of sectarianism in their behaviour.
So you are really talking about training and education from a
very broad point of view and about how damaging and how negative
poor community relations are in the workplace. There have been
examples in the past of government campaigns on all sorts of things,
road safety and wearing seatbelts. Perhaps we should start putting
out the message that sectarianism is not a good thing to do and
not a good idea.
Q361 Mr Tynan: Surely if you are
able to make a case for additional funding then that is the best
way to receive that additional funding? Surely under the circumstances
where you believe that there is a need for additional funding,
if you make the case on that basis then there is a good chance
you will receive that?
Ms Francey: We have been told
that there is no more money available.
Q362 Mr Tynan: Regardless of what
you require?
Ms Francey: Yes. We were told
to stick to last year's figures, that we need not ask for any
more because we will not get it.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed.
You have given us a very interesting perspective from three markedly
different areas which you work in and represent. Thank you very
much for your help.
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