Good Relations Indicators 2020 Report

Date published: 7 March 2023

The publication monitors indicators for the four key priorities of the T:BUC Strategy: our children and young people; our shared community; our safe community; and, our cultural expression.

All figures relate to 2020, unless otherwise stated. Please note that any Young Life and Times data are from 2019, as fieldwork for this survey did not run in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the key findings include:

Our Children and Young People

• 40% of adults in 2020 think that relations between Protestants and Catholics are better now than they were five years ago.
• 35% of adults think that relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five years’ time.
• 54% of young people have ‘done projects’ with pupils from other schools; 52% have ‘shared classes’; and 26% ‘shared sports facilities or equipment’ where the pupils are from a different religious background.

Our Shared Community

• 96% of adults think that libraries in their area are ‘shared and open’ to both Catholics and Protestants; with the same proportion saying they think this about shopping centres. 91% think this about leisure centres; with the same proportion saying they think this about parks.
• 89% of adult respondents would prefer a mixed religion workplace; 79% a mixed religion neighbourhood; and 69% mixed religion schools.

Our Safe Community

• 54% of adults see town centres as safe and welcoming places for people of all walks of life.
• 85% of adult respondents feel ‘very’ or ‘quite’ safe going to events held in a Protestant secondary school; 81% to events held in a Catholic secondary school; 64% to events held in a GAA club; and 60% to events held in an Orange Hall.

Our Cultural Expression

• 67% of adults think that the culture and traditions of Catholic communities add to the richness and diversity of Northern Ireland society; 66% think this about Minority Ethnic communities; and 65% think this about Protestant communities.
• 24% of adults feel that they have an influence on decisions made in their neighbourhood; and 18% feel that they have an influence on decisions made in Northern Ireland.
• 83% of adult respondents feel a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood; and the same proportion feel a sense of belonging to Northern Ireland.

The report is available on the Statistics and Research Branch section of The Executive Office website.

Further information relating to the collection and production of the statistics can be obtained by contacting: