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Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
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Senior Orangeman Accuses NIO Of"Cold Shouldering" Community Initiatives

30 September 2005

A Senior Orangeman has criticised the Government for "cold shouldering" Orange Order initiatives to build confidence in Protestant communities.

Speaking this evening (Friday, 30 September) at the re-opening of West Belfast Orange Hall on the Shankill Road following recent refurbishment work, Drew Nelson, Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, accused some funding bodies and government departments of hindering efforts to encourage community development activities.

"Over the past few years, the Orange Community Network has been operating quietly behind the scenes creating more than 150 community groups based in Orange Halls throughout Northern Ireland and the border counties", said Mr Nelson. "These community groups have been working really hard to provide leadership in their local communities and, yet, in many cases, they are receiving no support from the NIO and funders."

Mr Nelson, said the Orange Order was particularly disappointed at the decision by Angela Smith MP to reject a funding application aimed at helping to get young people from working class Protestant areas involved in Invest NI programmes. A funding application made by the Order in November 2004 was turned down by Angela Smith in July this year.

"This spring, the Orange Order drew up a proposal for the Department for Social Development for a community development scheme operating out of Orange Halls situated in working class Protestant areas of Belfast, and designed to encourage local people to become involved in community activity and thus provide them with a greater stake in society.

"We were very disappointed at the barriers raised against this scheme by the DSD which actively discouraged the Orange Order from proceeding with the programme." Mr Nelson added: "If the Northern Ireland Office is serious about addressing the problems of working class Protestant communities, I am bound to ask why so many constructive suggestions from the Orange Order over the past few years have been rejected."


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