Good Friday Agreement Reactions

In addition, the UK government has committed to creating a new statutory Equality Commission to replace the Fair Employment Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission (NI), the Racial Equality Commission (NI) and the Disability Council. The establishment of the Equality Commission was provided for in the Northern Ireland Act (1998). The Commission was finally established on 1 March 19992 “The Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission”, BBC News, May 2006, accessed 21 January 2013, www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/equality/hr2.shtm. was put into operation on 1 September 1999.3 “The Good Friday Agreement: Equality Commission for Northern Ireland”, BBC News, May 2006, accessed 21 January 2013, www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/equality/equality. The principle of power-sharing was incorporated into the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. The DÕHondt method of proportional representation was used to ensure that the unionist (mainly Protestant) and nationalist (mainly Catholic) communities participated in government in proportion to the seats they had won in the new Northern Ireland Assembly. The members of the Assembly were elected by a single transferable vote. If the main parties did not reach an agreement on power-sharing, power would return to London, a situation that neither side wanted. 1. The Participants note that the development of a peaceful environment on the basis of this Agreement can and should mean the standardization of security arrangements and practices. The main issues that Sunningdale omits and which are addressed in the Belfast Agreement are the principle of self-determination, the recognition of both national identities, British-Irish intergovernmental cooperation and legal procedures to make power-sharing compulsory, such as inter-community voting and the D`Hondt system for the appointment of ministers to the executive. [24] [25] Former IRA member and journalist Tommy McKearney says the main difference is the British government`s intention to negotiate a comprehensive deal involving the IRA and the most intransigent trade unionists.

[26] With regard to the right to self-determination, two reservations are mentioned by the legal author Austen Morgan. Firstly, the transfer of territory from one State to another must be done through an international agreement between the British and Irish Governments. Secondly, the people of Northern Ireland can no longer achieve a united Ireland alone; they need not only the Irish Government, but also the people of their Irish neighbour to support unity. Morgan also pointed out that, unlike the Ireland Act 1949 and the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, which were drafted under Sunningdale, the 1998 Agreement and the resulting UK legislation expressly provided for the possibility of a united Ireland. [27] Under the Agreement, the British and Irish Governments undertook to hold referendums in Northern Ireland and the Republic on 22 May 1998 respectively. The referendum in Northern Ireland is expected to endorse the agreement reached in the multi-party negotiations. The purpose of the referendum on the Republic of Ireland was to approve the BRITANNICO-Irish Agreement and to facilitate the amendment of the Constitution of Ireland in accordance with the Agreement. 2. Participants also note that, therefore, as part of this comprehensive political agreement, both governments have committed to propose or support amendments to the Constitution of Ireland and to the United Kingdom legislation on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. 19. The Executive Committee provides a forum to discuss and agree on issues affecting the competences of two or more ministers, to prioritise proposals from the executive and legislative powers and to recommend a common position, if necessary (e.B in dealing with external relations). The British Army suspended operations in Northern Ireland from 1 August 2007, ending a 38-year presence in Northern Ireland.

This decision reduced the size of British troops to 5,000, which was compatible with a normal peaceful society, as proposed in the peace agreement.1 The Independent Monitoring Commission also confirmed the reductions of British troops in Northern Ireland.2 The Good Friday Agreement (GFA) or Belfast Agreement (Irish: Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste; Ulster-Scots: Guid Friday Greeance or Bilfawst Greeance),[1] is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of the Troubles, a political conflict in Northern Ireland that had taken place since the late 1960s. This was an important development in the peace process in Northern Ireland in the 1990s. Northern Ireland`s current system of devolved government is based on the agreement. The Agreement also created a number of institutions between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Ian Paisley, whose party abstained from peace talks, condemned the deal as the “mother of all treason”. He condemned Blair for orchestrating the deal – and when Queen Elizabeth II expressed support, Paisley said: “She has become a parrot.” Members of the British Unionist Party (UKUP), another loyalist party, called Trimble a traitor. Unionist politician William Ross called the deal “a total capitulation to the IRA`s demands.” In view of the transitional provisions of the Agreement, it is also important to note that elections to the Assembly took place in July 1998, well before the northern Ireland Act was passed. Agreement on administrative support to the Citizens` Forum and establishment of guidelines for the selection of representatives of the Citizens` Forum. At the Northern Ireland Assembly in June 2000, the parties vigorously debated the hoisting of Union flags on public buildings.

Sinn Fein had ordered the departments it controlled not to fly the Union flag.1 On 8 November 2000, the Government adopted the Northern Ireland Statutory Rules (No 347) on flags2, which came into force on 11 November 2000. It specified certain days and occasions when the Union flag could be hoisted. Legislation has reduced flag flying days from 21 to 17.3″Good Friday Agreement – Symbols and Emblems”, BBC News, accessed 7 February 2013, www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/culture/symbols2. With the commitment of the Irish and British Governments to reintegrate paramilitary prisoners into society through the creation of employment opportunities, retraining and the promotion of educational opportunities, a supporting infrastructure was created by the European Union in 1998 from the European Union Peace and Reconciliation Fund. It was reported that the Belfast-based Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust managed the fund. In addition, more than 26 community-based ex-prisoner projects were underway across Northern Ireland, covering education, vocational skills programmes, financial and social counselling, housing and housing, and family-centred counselling in Ireland.1 “The Good Friday Agreement – Prisoners”, BBC News, www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/policing/prisoner. In addition to reaffirming the commitment to human rights in the Good Friday Agreement, the parties agreed to amend United Kingdom legislation to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into the Northern Ireland Act (1998). The Northern Ireland Act 1998 also provided for the establishment of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Following the approval of the agreement in the referendum, the Northern Ireland Act (1998) guaranteed the establishment of the ECHR in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland`s political parties in favour of the agreement were also invited to consider the creation of an independent consultation forum representing civil society with members with expertise in social, cultural, economic and other issues, appointed by both administrations.

A framework for the North-South Consultation Forum was agreed in 2002 and in 2006 the Northern Ireland Executive agreed to support its establishment. In May/June 1999, the Commission conducted an opinion poll to understand public attitudes towards policing in Northern Ireland. The Commission also visited various locations, including several locations, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Spain and the United States. On 9 September 1999, the Northern Ireland Independent Police Commission presented its report and made recommendations on issues related to human rights, accountability, policing with the community, police structure, size of the police service, composition of the police service and other issues. The Commission made 175 recommendations.1 Unionist policy responses to the report and its recommendations were not positive.2 “Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland,” BBC News, accessed January 29, 2013, www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/policing/commissi. George Mitchell was pleased with the deal, but was cautious in his hopes for the future. Mitchell noted a “presumption of bad faith” between trade unionists and nationalists, warning that the deal could collapse within 18 months if the two sides could not work together. .