Regeneration game

The observations by Dr Pete Shirlow, Director of Education at Queen's University, come at a crucial time for those involved in the regeneration of the city - particularly Ilex - as tomorrow sees the launch of its new draft Regeneration Plan at Waterside Theatre. The launch marks the start of a 12-week public consultation exercise during which the regeneration organisation will organise public meetings, presentations in neighbourhoods, stands in shopping centres and one-to-one briefings with groups, organisations, and individuals.

And after Dr Shirlow spoke, Ilex acknowledged that Protestant inclusion was important to its strategy.

Dr Shirlow was among a select invited audience of 100 people to attend an information evening on the regeneration of the City hosted by the organisation Gateway to Protestant Participation in the officers' Mess at Ebrington Barracks - itself viewed as the jewel in the crown of the regeneration of the east bank of Londonderry.

With an impressive background in research, Dr Shirlow addressed the issue of Protestant under representation, a key social issue for the Protestant population of the City.

Acknowledging that the new pedestrian and cycle bridge was a way to get people moving in and out of the city, he said research of major employers on the west bank in 1997 for the Standing Advisory Committee on Human Rights and again in 2005 through St Columb's Park House showed an under-representation of the Protestant population.

Stressing the importance of social cohesion, Dr Shirlow asked what 'these major employers' were doing to address the under-representation, and said employers should be actively seeking out Protestants with skills, adding that research showed "lots of employers in the cityside" were not trying to employ Protestants.

He said if research proved that statistically 30 per cent of the urban area was Protestant, then legally 30 per cent of employment in the cityside should be taken up by Protestant people.

Pointing to the historic 'legacy of fear' that existed within the communities here, he went on to say that research had shown that the Protestant working class was the least likely social grouping to gain access to jobs or taking up jobs, and he asked the team of ILEX officials making the presentation what was being done to encourage employers to address that.

ILEX Director of Strategy and Regeneration, Gerard McCleave, said Protestant inclusion in the regeneration and employment processes was part of the regeneration plans for the City. He said it was a well-known fact that Waterside people left the City to shop, and it was important that people from the Waterside were encouraged to enter the Cityside for employment, leisure and shopping.

Michael Gallagher, Ilex Strategy and Regeneration Manager, maintained that issues of social inclusion and cohesion could be addressed through various strands of the 11-point plan which will be released into the public domain tomorrow. He went on to acknowledge that, among other things, working class people from the Waterside did not feel safe in certain areas of the cityside, including Foyle Street, and these needed to be, and would be, addressed under the plan.