That this Ard Fheis beleives that the Good Friday Agreement arising out of the multi-party talks, declares in its declaration of support that all the participants parties are ``committed to partnership, equality and mutual respect''.

One of the fundamental principles of partnership and equality is the principle that all sections of the community should be afforded the opportunity of fair participation in the functioning of government. The agreement itself recognises that in order to ensure that such fair participation is achieved specific safeguards are required over and above the declaration by all participants parties that they are committed to `partnership, equality and mutual respect.''

Thus Paragraph 5 of Strand 1 which deals with institutions provides that ``there will be safeguards to ensure that all sections of the community can participate and work together successfully in the operation of these institutions and that all sections of the community are protected inlcuding ... allocation of committee chairs, ministers and committee membership in proportion to party strengths....''

If a new society is to be built on the foundations stones of partnership, equality and mutual respect and recognise that equal participation in government is fundamental to the achievement of these aims, such participation in government is fundamental to the achievement of these aims, such participation must be guaranteed in all stratas and manifestation of government. it therefore cannot be the case that a right to fair participation should only be guaranteed at the level of the Assembly. it must also be guaranteed at local level in the functioning of local government and in ensuring that there is fair participation in representation in all public bodies and quangos.

At present there is no legislative or statutory duty imposed on district councils in the six counties to ensure that all political parties are fairly represented in relation to the membership of committees, the appointment of chairs and vice-chairs to those committees, and in the appointments that councils make to outside bodies.

Accordingly, this Ard Fheis congratulates our councillors on Belfast City Council on their successful campaign to have the principal of proportionality adopted and calls on all Councils in the six counties to apply proportionality principles in determining how committee chairs and vice chairs, committee membership and membership of outside bodies should be appointed.

Comhairle Chúige na Sé Chontae

That this Ard Fheis works toward the full implementation of a credible Equality Agenda as a means to creating a society that has the potential to lead to real peace with justice.

Portlaoise Martyrs Cumann, Portlaoise Prison

That this Ard Fheis demands that David Trimble fulfills his obligations as their MP by meeting his constituents on Garvaghy Road thereby vindicating their right to oppose contentious marches through their area.

Comhairle Ceantair Louth

That this Ard Fheis instructs Sinn Fein to initiate a national mobilisation in the south to lift the seige of the Garvaghy Road; that this mobilisation demands a daily human rights watch to be carried out by on-site TD observers.

Cumann Joe Clarke, Baile Átha Cliath

That this Ard Fheis calls on the British and Dublin governments to do all in their power to lift the siege by the Orange Order on the people of the Garvaghy Road.

This continuing act of agression goes against the Good Friday Agreement.

Julie Duggan Cumann, Portadown

That this Ard Fheis highlights the fact that nearly 30 years after the start of the Civil rights movement, councils in the Six Counties are still obliged to address issues of equality of opportunity in a thorough manner and demonstrate publicly their commitment to the practice of fair employment.

Equality in the workplace is an essential aspect of justice and a necessary preconditon for a peaceful society.

This Ard Fheis calls on all councils in the Six Counties to immediately:

Initiate a comprehensive review of their employment practices. They should use the expertise of the new Equality Commission of the FEC, EOC, Disability Action and NICEM. The objective of this review should be the setting of targets, goals and timetables to eradicate all forms of discrimination. As a means of addressing direct and indirect discrimination a review of a council's equal opportunity policy should include:

• Recruitment and selection;

• Monitoring, e.g. effect of recruitment decisions, target and time scales, statistical make up;

• Training;

• Promotion practices;

• A study of human resource strategy;

• Anti-discrimination training for all human resource personnel;

• Training in equality procedures/good practice for all senior personnel;

• An examination of the obstacles on progression routes and existing barriers;

• The development of an equal opportunities ethos in the context of a practical approach;

• Consideration of a PR strategy to determine how councils are perceived as employers;

• Develop a strategy to encourage groups into categories where they are under represented;

• Determine if a chill factor exists inside councils;

• Determine if there is complacency among human resource personnel and senior management because of the existence of equality legislation.

Comhairle Chúige na Sé Chontae

That this Ard Fheis believes the record of one nationalist nomination by the North's Housing Council to the board of the Housing Executive in the past 30 years is contrary to both the letter and spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.

Sould legislative powers or provisions not be introduced to ensure future nominations will reflect proper religious and political composition, this Ard Fheis believes the 26 local governemnt authorities in the Six Counties should follow the example of Cookstown District Council and withdraw representation from the Housing Council.

South Down Comhairle Ceantair

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