I welcome the Resident Participation Report and complement the Housing Directorate on this programme and Donal Guerin on his work. Civic participation is highly important in creating a sense of place, pride and identity in the city. The Resident Participation programme has hit a number of issues, which need to be looked at –

(1) difficulties in getting residents to overcome concerns such as victimisation, lack of time and a perception that other residents will let committee members do all the work

(2) difficulties with racism toward tenants

(3) difficulties with anti-social behaviour by young people

and (4) and a need for developing opportunities for resident groups to take more responsibility for their environment.

These are issues that the Council need to continue to look at and the new central government needs to look at seriously.

I would like to see a proper civic engagement inititaive like the Green Flag environment programmes in our schools. We expect people to go on committees where they have no background or exposure during their education at all to committee or even community work.