Northern Ireland 'has no strategy to deal with sectarianism'

The leader of Northern Ireland's trade union movement has claimed that the recent rioting in north Belfast showed that the power-sharing government at Stormont has no strategy to deal with sectarianism. Peter Bunting, the northern secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, said there needed to be "real leadership and support for a coherent anti-sectarian strategy" following another summer of street disorder linked to the marching season. In a stinging attack on the Northern Ireland executive, Bunting said: "A peaceful marching season would be a far better value than stunts like cutting corporation tax. As far as the outside world is concerned it does not matter which side is rioting. What counts is the perception that Northern Ireland is unsafe and unstable." Bunting said the continual violence was costing millions while sectarian divisions remained entrenched.