Northern Ireland appears to be an ongoing intractible problem for which there appears to be no short term fix. It appears that one of the larger problems is the high level of segregation of the Catholics and the Protestants from a very early age which leads to distrust in adult life. The financial cost of dealing with the problem is immense. A solution could be to earmark some of the funds that would have to be spent 13 years hence for security purposes when the current school starters will become 18 and use it instead to fund and set up primary and later secondary, schools with substantially higher funding and staffing than is generally given. The only condition for attending these better funded schools is that there must be equal numbers from both sides of the community. Hopefully because of the higher funding/staffing levels demand for places at these schools will be high which will lead to a well integrated and educated populace with an almost lifelong understanding of the culture of the other half of the community. This may not be a quick fix but it may be more economical in the long run and may improve the human condition there.
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Indeed, any measures that water down the destructive ego-identity complexes that people use as an excuse for violence are good measures. This might also include positive identities. To be an orange order, or a prodestant or a catholic or a UUF, or UDP, or IRA, or REALIRA ... these have become destructive identity complexes that people do not identify with "all" people in their community, only part.
Also at root is economic poverty and lack of opportunity (percieved) that keeps the slums running. My thinking is that welfare should not pay one's rent... and if you go on welfare, then the state has the right to relocate you towards a place for your work... or to a training academy that you gain the skills for work... as much of the issue is also entrenched bored people who have nothing better to do than be petty... best they are less bored.
Likely that the political crisis in NI will eventually shift towards a healing... and indeed there is every sense that that wound is healing. If we apply the same issues to an israeli security fence and a nation that treats palestineans as cattle to be shot without rights... that is a festering wound... all due to the mullas in the judeo/christian ideology camp spinning up exceptionalist nationalism based on race and religion. NI is yesterday's version of palestine... the need for egelatarianism and goodwill towards all human beings is greater than ever... just can that be taught or inspired by culture?
The main issue is The United Kingdom lays claim to Ulster and Eire does the same. All the time claim to the area is in one country's constitution, the troubles will persist. In the main, most of the troubles are due to the idea that they belong to one nation or another (that is, aside from the fact that organised crime uses the conflict as a convenient cover for their activities - and if religion wasn't the issue, the criminals would use some other excuse). The only way to solve the problem is to make NI a separate republic with no obligation to the United Kingdom or to Eire.