NI politicians agree blueprint to fight sectarianism

Politicians in the North have revealed tonight they had agreed a new blueprint for fighting sectarianism.

The news came as Stormont sources also confirmed that plans for overseeing controversial parades will be completed within hours.

Both developments are part of the implementation of the Hillsborough deal on policing, justice and parades, which was recently brokered to stabilise the power-sharing administration.

The efforts to put the deal in place came despite a dissident republican bomb attack in Newry, Co Down, with the aim of derailing the political process.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness announced that they have agreed a long-awaited programme for cohesion, sharing and integration (CSI).

The plan to help combat sectarianism in Northern Ireland society comes after the Alliance Party signalled it wanted the CSI policy completed before it considered supporting the Hillsborough agreement’s plan to devolve policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly.