Regeneration and Conflict Transformation top Committee's Agenda

Regeneration will top the agenda at The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s visit to Londonderry on Wednesday 28 September.

The Committee - which has responsibility for overseeing the work of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister – will hear from the Ilex Urban Regeneration Company and OFMDFM officials. As part of the visit, the Committee will visit the Ebrington Barracks site which forms part of the city’s regeneration plans. The Barracks site, which was gifted to the Northern Ireland Executive by the British Government, will be used as a shared cultural venue and arts centre, with space for crafts and arts organizations in the refurbished listed building.

The Committee will also take part in a forum discussion organised by the Community Relations Council and discuss some of the issues in reducing conflict across communities.

Speaking before the visit, Chairperson of the Committee, Tom Elliott MLA said: “As a Committee we are very pleased to be able to see, at first hand, the hard work that is going on in Londonderry to bring about much needed urban regeneration. There is an enormous amount of very good work taking place and Ilex is very much at the heart of it so we are pleased to hear their plans for the coming years.

“We also realize that alongside regeneration we must pay attention to reducing and resolving conflict. The Committee is pleased to engage with community relations practitioners and to take part in one of their discussion forums. We cannot ignore issues like shared space, housing, cultural diversity and how to deal with interfaces even if they are difficult to resolve.”

ENDS