'Shared future is very important' - McIlroy

THE Vice-Chairperson of Moyle Council, DUP councillor Robert McIlroy, says he would like to see the community doing more work to create a 'shared future' for residents.

He also praised the work of Ryan Moore, Good Relations Officer at the Council, and he highlighted the Bushmills Peace Group for making a big contribution to community relations.

Speaking at a meeting of Moyle Council, Cllr McIlroy said: "I would like to hear of more things happening".

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He said it is important to bring people together from across the community and he thought Sinn Fein should not have seized on the parades issue out of a report given to councillors by Mr Moore.

But Sinn Fein councillor Oliver McMullan said he had also mentioned an art project as well as parades and he said it was ok to raise such matters.

Cllr McIlroy added: "It is very important that we have a shared future and good community relations."

He asked Mr Moore if he felt they were making headway in Moyle.

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Mr Moore said the subject of Good Relations could be very difficult to measure scientifically but he believed there was no doubt the situation has improved as it is affected by the wider political developments and you can see that on the ground.

Although he added: "We are still a very segregated district. The challenges are still there."

On the parading issue, Moyle Council has been helping to facilitate public discussions ahead of a major July 12 parade due in Ballycastle in 2011.

Cllr McMullan wondered if everybody involved will be sitting down to discuss issues and take the situation forward "in a more meaningful way".

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Mr Moore said the extent of engagement is outside of the gift of the Council but he said developments have been fairly positive and "healthy".

Cllr McMullan asked if there would be an opportunity to speak to the parade organisers before 2011 and he said that was up to the organisers but he said new arrangements for dealing with the whole issue of parades are currently being examined at Stormont.