The reaction to Boris tunnel shows the extent of sectarianism here

IT’S been said before, but it bears repeating: almost all of public life in Northern Ireland is assessed and evaluated in terms of Orange or Green. Or is that an exaggeration and an unfair generalisation?

It’s certainly true of education. We maintain and sustain two entirely separate systems from primary through to secondary level.

It’s also true of housing: 90% plus of public housing developments are exclusively either Catholic or Protestant. Community development projects are designed and funded on a “two communities” model.

Even what should be strategic infrastructure developments are plagued by the perceptions that “they” might be getting more out of it that “us”. Factor in sport and culture as further examples and it’s almost a full house.

The hysterical reactions to the announcement of a feasibility study into a permanent link with Scotland is further proof of how ingrained and accepted sectarianism has become.

Whether a bridge, or other form of link, across the Irish Sea is a good thing or not is irrelevant in the face of the reaction it has generated.

The source of both the support and of the objections is largely predictable and almost guaranteed.

Probably the largest and certainly the most expensive proposal since the HS2 rail-link and by far the biggest construction project affecting both Northern Ireland and the Republic has been reduced to an argument over whether it is being used to strengthen the Union or a device to fend off a united Ireland. It is tunnel vision at its worst.

Sectarianism is the life-blood of the main political parties here. They would deny that, but it’s hard to refute: their electoral appeal is fashioned on it. They provide a smokescreen — in Orange and Green — behind which lies the real class nature of this society.

While the political parties and the tribal spokespeople continue to deride, or admire, the latest project through sectarian lenses, they dig this society deeper into the mire than any tunnel could.

PATRICK LYNN Workers Party Springfield Road, Belfast