Next round of PEACE funding must have community input at its heart - de Brún
Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún will this evening travel to South Down to meet
with community activists for discussions on the next round of PEACE funding
for the six counties and border region and said that she wanted to 'encourage
communities to participate in debate around their hopes for the anticipated
PEACE III programme.
This evening's event will take place in Duke
Bar, Duke Street, Warrenpoint, County Down at 7.30pm and follows on from
last week's successful community event in South Belfast. The event will be
chaired by Sinn Féin MLA Caitriona Ruane.
Speaking today Ms
de Brún said:
"This evening's event is about engaging with
the local community about how such funding should be targeted in the period
2007 - 2013. We will be asking community activists to inform us of their
hopes and concerns for the roll-out of a PEACE III and to discuss the way
forward.
"It is essential that local communities begin to
participate in discussion regarding the PEACE III fund and Sinn Féin is keen
to facilitate this debate. In discussions with the EU Commissioner for
Regional Development, Danuta Hubner, and with both the British and Irish
governments, I pressed the point that communities must be fully consulted
and kept fully informed. The practical planning for PEACE III must not take
place behind
closed doors.
"Sinn Féin believes that future
PEACE III projects should be targeted towards tackling discrimination and
disadvantage and the promotion of peace and national reconciliation. I look
forward to my visit to South Down this evening to discuss these and other
matters with those present." ENDS