Bishop of Derry Hopes for Progress in Northern Ireland

The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Rt Rev Ken Good, has expressed his hopes for progress in relations between political parties in Northern Ireland.

Bishop Good reflected on decades of violence and "tragic loss of life" which he said had "left a legacy of communal mistrust and a polarised shift of population".

He said that the political progress in Northern Ireland in recent years had "too often been characterised by frustrating setbacks and disappointed hopes".

Bishop Good welcomed, however, the progress that had been made at the meeting between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein in St Andrews earlier in the month, which he said "could well prove to be a genuine step forward in the process of trust building".

"Tribute needs to be paid to those who have demonstrated courageous leadership in their efforts to move the situation beyond the current impasse," said Bishop Good in his presidential address to the Synod of the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe Wednesday.

"This opportunity must be grasped and not squandered, and those who are working hard to lead courageously have my, and I trust our, support in their efforts to create a fair and just society in which we can all enjoy a shared future."