Mr Mayor, Member of Parliament, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to be in Armagh today to see at first hand the excellent work which is going on at community level to support regeneration in this City.

One of the key factors in successfully tackling deprivation and assisting regeneration is through a partnership approach involving the public, private and community sectors.  I  recognise the important role which the voluntary sector has to play as an equal partner in this process and I am committed to ensuring that local people have the capacity to contribute to the decision making process.

As many of you will know this is a commitment which has been backed up by significant action and most of you will be aware of the considerable resources which my Department has put into community development over the past 3 years.

Through our provision of Community houses and funding of the running of Community Houses and Community Groups we have helped to create a buoyant and resilient community sector which is making a major contribution to our efforts to tackle deprivation.  Community houses now provide a local focus and a venue for providing a wide range of activities from youth clubs to adult education classes which allow local residents to involve themselves in such activities in familiar surroudings.

Today I have seen at first hand the hard work and enthusiasm of those who are prepared to give up their time voluntarily to help to build a better future for their communities. The Mullacreevie Development Association is an excellent example of a Community Group which has played a positive role in helping to regenerate an area and I would like to commend them for their work. I know they have worked hard over the years to bring this project to fruition and I hope they feel a sense of pride today.

Great steps are being made to tackle deprivation in Armagh. Through the Armagh Neighbourhood Partnership the Department has funded a wide range of programmes covering health, education and further education, community development and environmental improvements. This represents a major investment of just under £3 Million, with additional funding of £700,000 levered in from other sources, gives a clear indication of my commitment to tackling deprivation wherever it exists.  

Without further ado I would like to declare the Mullacreevie Community House officially open.