IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 692 

Honoring the 26th anniversary of Northern Ireland’s first integrated school 

and further encouraging continued innovation to achieve a shared future 

in education in Northern Ireland that would deliver much higher standards of skills. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 

Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York (for herself, Mr. WALSH of New York, Mr. 

CROWLEY, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. MCHUGH, Mrs. 

MALONEY of New York, Mr. ENGEL, and Mr. HIGGINS) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the 26th anniversary of Northern Ireland’s first 

integrated school and further encouraging continued innovation to achieve a shared future in education in 

Northern Ireland that would deliver much higher standards of skills. 

Whereas since its foundation in 1921, Northern Ireland has 

had two separate educational systems; 

Whereas 2007 marks the 26th anniversary of the opening of 

Northern Ireland’s first integrated school, Lagan College 

in south Belfast; 


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•HRES 692 IH 

Whereas schools in Northern Ireland that have formally become integrated have demonstrated particular and distinctive commitment to a shared future; 

Whereas currently, there are 58 integrated schools in Northern Ireland: 39 are primary schools and 19 are colleges 

for students aged 11 to 18 years; 

Whereas 94 percent of Protestant students attend Protestant 

schools, while 92 percent of Catholic students attend 

Catholic schools; 

Whereas currently 4.6 percent of all pupils—approximately 

18,000 students—attend an integrated school in Northern Ireland; 

Whereas the cost of running the current, mostly separate 

school system in Northern Ireland amounts to as much 

as 1 billion pounds a year; 

Whereas the Good Friday Agreement explicitly promised that 

the Government of Northern Ireland would ‘‘encourage 

and facilitate’’ the development of integrated schools; 

Whereas the Good Friday Agreement stated that ‘‘an essential aspect of the reconciliation process is the promotion 

of a culture of tolerance at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage integrated education’’; 

Whereas the goal of integration is to encourage children to 

understand differences so they begin to understand different cultures and overcome negative stereotypes; 

Whereas the Taoiseach noted in a March 30, 1999, speech 

at Hazelwood College in Belfast, ‘‘Integrated education 

has an important part to play in promoting partnership 

and mutual understanding.’’; 


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•HRES 692 IH 

Whereas in a speech in Donegal in 2006, the Secretary of 

State of Northern Ireland, Peter Hain, said, ‘‘The educational future of Northern Ireland must be shared and 

focused on what unites, or divided it will be bleak.’’; 

Whereas on September 19, 2006, Secretary Hain stated, ‘‘We 

must embrace collaboration and sharing across and between school sectors, allowing children and young people 

to share experiences and ensuring education spending is 

going to children in classrooms . . .’’; 

Whereas Secretary Hain further stated, ‘‘The blunt reality is 

that it is simply not going to be possible to offer the full 

range of opportunities in a system of education that does 

not have sharing at its heart.’’; 

Whereas young people must be confident of individual traditions, but at the same time, have full respect for other 

traditions and an ability to make friends and relationships across the community divisions; 

Whereas in a recent study from Queen’s University in Belfast, research indicates that educating Catholics and 

Protestants together in school does have an effect on 

their attitudes later in life; 

Whereas people who have attended integrated schools in 

Northern Ireland have the potential to create a new political common ground; and 

Whereas integrated schools dilute sectarianism: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) honors the 26th anniversary of Northern 

3 Ireland’s first integrated school; 


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•HRES 692 IH 

1 (2) commends the efforts to work toward a 

2 shared future in education in Northern Ireland; 

3 (3) recognizes that a shared future in education 

4 in Northern Ireland will produce a higher quality 

5 education which plays a powerful and positive role in 

6 creating a more confident society, helping to make 

7 it sustainable and vibrant with greater sharing be8 tween its communities; 

9 (4) encourages a shared future in education in 

10 Northern Ireland and for Northern Ireland to have 

11 the courage to push beyond the boundaries set by 

12 the separation of the past and grasp the opportuni13 ties to build a new, shared future based on mutual 

14 respect and understanding; and 

15 (5) reiterates its support for the successful May 

16 8, 2007, devolution, which will present an oppor17 tunity for Northern Ireland to work toward a shared 

18 future in education. 

Æ 


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