Government believes "Peace Walls" in Northern Ireland will be taken down by 2022

59 walls separating communities could be demolished according to Stormont report

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One of the 59 "Peace Walls" in Northern Ireland

Photo by Mark / Oliver Credo

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Northern Ireland communities are separated by walls which are better known as the ‘peace walls but according to a recently released Government draft they may be down by the year 2022.

According to these recent reports, the drafts from November has outlined the removal of 59 peace walls which are used to separate the Catholic and Protestant communities located in Belfast, Londonderry and Craigavon areas.

The removal of the walls included in the Government documents are part of a cross-party movement by the Stormont group regarding the necessary cohesion of the opposing parties. 

Boston.com have reported that both Alliance and Ulster Unionist parties have each left the Stormont working group as unrest continues between the sides.

 The unreleased draft document that was leaked to the BBC has acknowledged that the safety concerns of the people would remain a critical concern.

While it is known that the change cannot happen quickly, the overall consideration for some form of progress in the workings of both sides is a goal of the early drafts, according to Boston.com.

“We believe together with people in the local community, we can reduce the number of physical interface structures with a view to their elimination by 2022.”

Also included in the documents were noted areas of concern regarding the shared integration of both sides, including concepts of segregated housing, parades and Equality Commission.

Boston.com reports that both the First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had been hoping to reveal and agreed proposal set before Christmas, however this did not happen.

“This is a draft document, it is therefore incomplete and remains a work in progress. We are disappointed this has been leaked,” the First and Deputy Ministers said in a statement released by their Office. 

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