Frances Black (Independent)
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I thank the Minister for coming before the committee. I do not envy him the job he has ahead. I am keen to highlight the issues that my colleagues have spoken on, especially in respect of funding. I have worked closely with community initiatives in north Belfast such as Bridge of Hope, which does fantastic work, especially for people who have been affected by the conflict. The issues that have arisen relate to mental health and addiction. In a way, it is a crisis. We are talking about people's lives. Indeed, we are not only talking about people's lives, we are talking about the legacy of the conflict on the people in the North. It is vital that we work towards getting funding for these communities, because they are keeping things going. I have worked closely with these communities and I have brought trainers and community activists together to work on these issues. I have seen the work they have done. They are phenomenal and they dedicate their lives to what they do. I am keen to highlight the urgency in respect of the issue of funding. Again, I thank the Minister for coming before the committee.