Chamber of Commerce In camera dinner – 2 December 2009

Thank you all.  It is always a pleasure to talk to you because I believe our future here and the quality of life we can achieve for all our people very much depends on your efforts in growing our economy.  But I want to talk about what is perhaps the greatest impediment to further political progress in Northern Ireland which if not addressed will undermine your efforts in delivering economic success.

No one can doubt the political progress that has been made over the past 15 years.  We are currently at peace but we continue to live apart, we are educated apart and we generally socialise apart.

In business it’s a different story.  Most workplaces now have mixed workforces, getting the job done together.  Segregated living does however continue to discourage some from seeking work outside their own communities.  And how many of your employees are friends and colleagues at work but do not socialise or meet together in their own communities?  

If we could achieve less geographical segregation in our cities people would feel more able to move around freely without fear or intimidation.  One very good reason why we need to strive for shared spaces, shared neighbourhoods and a shared future.

Industry and business will be increasingly attracted to the North, if we can maintain the momentum of political change.  We have to build communities that have the confidence to grow together and develop within a new Northern Ireland.

Attracting new business must be a priority.  At last year’s US-NI Investment Conference, we saw 100 US businessmen attend despite the economic downturn.  Hillary Clinton’s visit has further underlined this interest in investment from the US.

Over 14,000 people here are employed in US companies.  However Hillary was quick to point out that peace and economic progress go hand in hand.

The segregation of communities and the sectarianism that is its almost inevitable consequence makes Northern Ireland a less than attractive place to invest.  Our future depends on economic growth but we are really going to be pushing the boulder uphill if we don’t address our divided society.  

So I have a question that perhaps you in the business sector can best answer.  How can we develop the integration that currently exists in the workplace and in business out into the wider community?  How can you work to encourage all of Northern Ireland’s political leaders to vigorously pursue the Shared Future agenda?

Over the last few months I have hosted numerous public meetings throughout the North where I have asked about tackling segregation and moving towards a shared future.  At these meetings, so far there has been considerable interest in exploring these issues.  I believe there is a real appetite out there for addressing the biggest barrier to achieving a society at peace with itself.  

What is clear is that the problems and solutions go to the very heart of all aspects of community and political life.

I can do certain things in DSD.  We are working on desegregating housing and we place an emphasis on shared space in all our regeneration work.  I also want to link community funding more to shared community development.

But there are other huge issues – like education.  Despite what you read in the papers the biggest problem in education is not the transfer test it is the fact that we keep our children apart in their learning years.

We also need to do more to arrive at a joint understanding of history and culture.  So building a Shared Future is a huge multi-faceted task.

In the near future I will be reporting to my Executive colleagues on the issues and ideas that have emerged at my public meetings.

A Shared Future must be a top priority if this generation is going to deliver for our young people and future generations.  

If we want to ensure that the most talented of our young people stay in Northern Ireland we have to work for a Northern Ireland where they feel safe and where they feel that opportunities will be open to them now and in the future.

I hope you feel you can sign up for a journey that will take us to an integrated and peaceful society.  A Northern Ireland were we achieve a society at peace with itself, working together to achieve economic success for all.

Thank you.