Churches urged to support intergrated education

The Alliance Party was today urged to lobby Northern Ireland’s main churches for more support in achieving integrated education.

Acting President Colm Cavanagh told delegates at the party’s annual conference in Stormont that the current dominant systems of teaching Protestants and Catholics separately has been ‘‘profoundly hurtful’’ to Northern Ireland.

He said: ‘‘I call on our Alliance Party, either on its own initiative, or with other political parties, to meet the churches and raise this issue.

‘‘How do the churches intend to improve the situation?’’

More integrated schools would enable the expensive segregated school system to be scrapped and provide more money for teaching and resources, he said.

During his speech on the need to dismantle sectarianism, Mr Cavanagh said it was vital to separate religion from politics.

He also claimed Northern Ireland’s churches have created problems for those who ‘‘betray’’ through mixed-religion marriages.

‘‘Many clergy and gunmen share a dislike of mixed marriages,’’ he said.

‘‘Again I call on the Alliance Party to meet with the churches and ask them what help we can give them to help solve this issue, that they see as a problem and I see as a perfect natural solution to community division.

‘‘There’s not so much spare love in Northern Ireland that we can afford to squander it without thought.’’