President visits Lisburn despite "setback"

THE President, Mrs Robinson, hopes there will be a commitment at political level to secure peace, despite the "appalling setback" of the London bombing. She was speaking after a visit to the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum in Co Down.

Later, at a trade union conference in Newcastle she spoke of "the subtle shifts of the past two years" and stressed the need to change attitudes. In addition, she emphasised the importance of dialogue and the need to share power through partnership.

On the first of two Northern engagements, the President met members of Lisburn Council, toured a linen industry museum and spoke to local children. Two political parties, Sinn Fein and the DUP, did not attend.

Afterwards the President said: "A lot has changed since last Friday" and it was thus all the more important to visit Lisburn and be welcomed. The linen centre, she said, was the regeneration of past tradition.

"We can build on that in the way in which we reach out to others with determination. I hope that at political level this will be matched by a commitment to restoring the kind of secure peace that the children that I met here today need."

At the Unison/Impact trade union conference, Mrs Robinson said the London atrocity was an appalling setback and people were "stunned and sickened" and worried: "That anxiety is increased by events in London today."

But there had been changes. "We are different now from two years ago. I believe people have begun to reflect and to think and to open up to each other. Very important subtle shifts are taking place in a kind of opinions".

Everyone was realising "the importance of dialogue, the importance of talking and really reaching out to the other person's point of view". There was a "need to change mindsets" in relations between Britain and Ireland and between people as a whole, she added.

The theme of the conference - Empowerment through Partnership - was "at the heart of the capacity of our society to move forward".