‘Progress’ towards end of peace walls

Graffiti relating to Brexit at a peace Wall in Belfast in October.
Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press — Graffiti relating to Brexit at a peace Wall in Belfast in October. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

A survey commissioned by the International Fund for Ireland has found an increase of six per cent of people who feel safe living around NI’s peace walls.

Launched at Girdwood Community Hub in north Belfast, The 2019 ‘Community Attitudes to Peace Walls Survey’ engaged directly with those residents most impacted by interface barriers in both Belfast and Londonderry.

The survey found that overall, respondents feel ‘safe’ living in the areas, with 86% reporting feeling ‘fairly safe’ or ‘very safe’, an increase from 80% in 2017. It also found that 44% of all respondents have ‘no concerns’ about issues in the local area compared to a much lower 26% in 2017.