THE chairwoman of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation, Judge Catherine McGuinness, yesterday called for an examination of obstacles in the South to reconciliation.
Speaking on the work of the Forum to the Meath Peace Group, she said she believed it was not good enough for a body based in Dublin to devote itself exclusively to critiques of life in the North. It was important that those in the South examine how their attitudes, approaches and systems of governance measured up to the requirements of diversity and generosity.
It was clear that much of the development of the Republic since its foundation had taken place without reference to Northern Ireland, she said, "although I am hopeful that the recent divorce referendum will prove to have been a crucial milestone on the journey towards the goal of creating greater room for diversity and space for minorities."
Judge McGuinness said that although the Forum had had to postpone its meetings since February 9th because "of the breach of the basis on which it was set up the venue had continued to be used for private meetings and ongoing research and she hoped that a basis to complete the work would be re-established. The Forum was suspended after the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire.
However, she said, one of the real results of the Forum's work was daily in evidence, the existence of relationships constructed across divides, and the growth of confidence between members who had come to know each other better.
The group was also addressed by Prof Brice Dickson, whose findings on obstacles to reconciliation were published in Building Trust in Ireland by Blackstaff Press.