Social deprivation and poor educational achievement in loyalist areas of Belfast are to be targeted by a £33 million (€47.8 million) package of measures.
Social development minister David Hanson unveiled the cross-departmental action plan, Renewing Communities, yesterday, vowing to "improve the life chances for all people living in our most disadvantaged communities".
Unionists in all parties welcomed the initiative. However, some criticised its scale and its concentration on urban areas.
Nationalists warned the British government of targeting need on a sectarian basis.
The measures follow claims that Protestant working-class areas have not fared well since the Belfast Agreement was signed in 1998.
The announcement also follows sustained rioting in loyalist working-class areas of Belfast last September.
Public representatives ascribed this in part to loyalist alienation and social deprivation.
Mr Hanson stressed that the extra allocation was not linked to the disturbances.
The measures are aimed at dereliction in Belfast's Shankill, Shore Road, Oldpark and lower Newtownards Road areas.
A so-called "fast-track" scheme was also announced aimed at countering shockingly low levels of educational attainment in some Protestant communities.
These measures hope to encourage pupils of school-leaving age to stay in education or opt for skills training.
In addition, the Department of Employment and Learning is to build a £13.5 million (€19.5 million) workforce and economic development centre at a key interface site in Springvale in west Belfast.
According to government figures, of the 15 local government wards with the worst educational attainment 13 of these are loyalist.
Mr Hanson's department said Renewing Communities identifies five key challenges.
These are: improving life prospects; building communities and social cohesion; developing civic and community leadership; improving public service delivery; and freeing communities from the influence of paramilitaries.