Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RACE FUNDING ROW
PUP Cllr slams Stormont over lack of support
STORMONT has come under fire for failing to fork out towards a race relations officer.
PUP councillor John Kyle said it was “disgraceful” the Executive Office had not funded the post in East Belfast.
However, he welcomed a City Hall decision to pay £10,000 in each of the next two years towards the role.
Dr Kyle told the Mirror: “Sadly East Belfast has a reputation for racism.
“Actually if you look at the fact it’s not the worst area for hate crime, but certainly there have been huge demographic changes over the last number of years.
“But there’s been great work going on in the background like English classes for newcomers, efforts to help newcomer families integrate, getting the children of these families into local youth clubs and things like that.
“But while there have been many positive things going on, including plans drawn up by the East Belfast Community Development Agency to help deal with race relations, we need someone to co-ordinate all of that. Now we have funding from the council for a race relations officer, but I have to say it’s extremely disappointing the Executive Office have dropped the ball on this one. “Race relations is in their bailiwick but they have failed to help with this. It’s irresponsible for them not to fund this. “We have been on at them for around five years and, in terms of their budget, it’s not a huge sum we’re after.
“This position, if funded, could have such a positive impact and, for a relatively small amount, could help stop the reputational damage Belfast suffers because of racism.”
Dr Kyle added his understanding is that if funding is not forthcoming from other sources the post will have to be filled on a parttime basis.
An Executive Office spokesman said all applications for funding are considered against programme-specific eligibility criteria.
They added: “In the past five years the department has received one application from the East Belfast Community Development Agency which included a request to fund a race relations co-ordinator.
“The application was made to the minority ethnic development fund in the 2015/16 financial year.”
EAST BELFAST YESTERDAY