•HRES 692 IH 
Whereas schools in Northern Ireland that have formally be-
come integrated have demonstrated particular and dis-
tinctive commitment to a shared future; 
Whereas currently, there are 58 integrated schools in North-
ern 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 North-
ern 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 essen-
tial aspect of the reconciliation process is the promotion 
of a culture of tolerance at every level of society, includ-
ing initiatives to facilitate and encourage integrated edu-
cation’’; 
Whereas the goal of integration is to encourage children to 
understand differences so they begin to understand dif-
ferent 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.’’; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:09 Sep 28, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR692.IH
HR692
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 692 IH 
Whereas in a speech in Donegal in 2006, the Secretary of 
State of Northern Ireland, Peter Hain, said, ‘‘The edu-
cational 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 be-
tween 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 tradi-
tions, but at the same time, have full respect for other 
traditions and an ability to make friends and relation-
ships across the community divisions; 
Whereas in a recent study from Queen’s University in Bel-
fast, 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 polit-
ical common ground; and 
Whereas integrated schools dilute sectarianism: Now, there-
fore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) honors the 26th anniversary of Northern 
Ireland’s first integrated school; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:09 Sep 28, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR692.IH
HR692
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
•HRES 692 IH 
(2) commends the efforts to work toward a 
shared future in education in Northern Ireland; 
(3) recognizes that a shared future in education 
in Northern Ireland will produce a higher quality 
education which plays a powerful and positive role in 
creating a more confident society, helping to make 
it sustainable and vibrant with greater sharing be-
tween its communities; 
(4) encourages a shared future in education in 
Northern Ireland and for Northern Ireland to have 
the courage to push beyond the boundaries set by 
the separation of the past and grasp the opportuni-
ties to build a new, shared future based on mutual 
respect and understanding; and 
(5) reiterates its support for the successful May 
8, 2007, devolution, which will present an oppor-
tunity for Northern Ireland to work toward a shared 
future in education. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:09 Sep 28, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR692.IH
HR692
bajohnson on PROD1PC69 with BILLS