An economic task force is to be established to tackle deprivation in west Belfast.
The announcement was made yesterday after a meeting between the North's Enterprise Minister, Sir Reg Empey, and Mr Gerry Adams.
They agreed that measures had to be put in place to reduce long-term unemployment in the area. The task force will be drawn from local groups, politicians and British government agencies.
West Belfast has the highest male unemployment of any constituency in the North, with 24 per cent out of work, three times the Northern Ireland average. Recent research also suggests that there is likely to be 600 job losses in the community sector in west Belfast.
Mr Adams said Sir Reg's support was a useful step forward. He said department officials and members of his own office would meet soon.
It was vital to have an integrated approach to improving the job chances of both communities in the deeply divided constituency, the Sinn Fein president added.
"What I want to see is the entire constituency, from the Shankill across to the Falls, represented so that we can see people from within the partnership board, the economic regeneration contingent in west Belfast, Irish language groups and government agencies and others coming together.
"If the peace process is to mean anything it must mean empowering the most disadvantaged and marginalised sections of our society and it must lead to a better quality and standard of life. The jobs task force can make that happen sooner and in a more structured and permanent fashion," he said.