Abstract
This chapter highlights the attempts made since 1969 by policy makers and by public bodies in Northern Ireland to address their responsibilities in the governance of a divided society. It suggests that the journey for public policy makers has often been both slow and defensive, and has unfortunately often only been fuelled by the desperation engendered by the decades of violence. The chapter argues that many of the lessons learnt in Northern Ireland are worth recording. Inequality in unemployment was a particular problem as major disparities in employment levels were confirmed by the Cameron and other reports. When civil unrest broke out in Northern Ireland in 1969, the fault lines within the police force were to render it in many cases counterproductive and inflammatory to the conflict. The mid-1980s saw some signs that the government might again be considering addressing the more effective development of community relations work.