Stormont deadlock
Just down the road from my apartment in Glenelg, Stormont is for sale. But at this rate, how long before Stormont back home appears on estate agents’ web sites?
Here in Australia, the Chinese economy and the outcome of Australian Make Me A Supermodel are of far more importance than anything to do with Northern Ireland. But even at home, people are getting fed up. O’Conall Street has noted the lack of support for the dispute between the DUP and Sinn Féin – and it’s even the subject of a competition in the Belfast Telegraph.
So what’s the disagreement about? Mark Davenport sums it up:
….it all goes back to the talks at St Andrews in Scotland in 2006. Sinn Féin believed they had a deal that a local minister would take charge of policing and justice by May this year. However, the DUP insist they didn't sign anything.
Excuse me? Government in Northern Ireland has ground to a halt for that? Although I’ve said before that I think the matter is more complicated for Sinn Féin, the time has come to face up to the extent of disfunctionality at Stormont, and the reason for it.
The current deadlock is a symptom of two wider problems with Northern Ireland’s political system: lack of trust and lack of appropriate representation. First, the trust deficit within the enforced coalition means no-one is prepared to make a concession in case it’s interpreted by their communal bloc as a defeat – ironic given that the public just wants them to get on with it. Although I understand why the system was put in place in 1998, it’s time for the British and Irish governments to step in, accept that it’s not working, and review future options. This will require another period of direct rule.
Second, by lack of appropriate representation I mean the increasingly ridiculous situation of a party political system based on national identity. Surely the events of the past year show that what’s needed are politicians who can respond effectively to economic and social problems, in the interests of all of us. Instead, everything is put through a territorial filter and opposed in code. Another spell of direct rule would provide an opportunity to focus on the restructuring of local councils, giving the smaller parties (and perhaps some new ones) the chance to build up support and show they can act across the communal divide.
Negotiations continue on the deadlock, and it’s reported that a resolution may be close. But even if this is so, it won’t be long before another contentious issue will arise. Northern Ireland’s political system is fundamentally broken, and it's time to do something about it.
11 comments:
Speaking as an ordinary resident not well versed in the constitutional niceties, the main problem seems to be that disagreement on one particular issue means the whole Executive and all its other business stops dead. This is patently absurd. There's no way the British government would pack up simply because Brown and Cameron disagreed about say, the operation of the Metropolitan Police.
What seems to be lacking is some constitutional requirement that ordinary business has to continue regardless of isolated policy differences (or even more ridiculous, different interpretations of the Belfast Agreement).
The reality of the situation is that, there are those in the DUP who are totally paranoid if they help implement any Policing & Justice powers. The ball will start rolling towards a unified island. They do not want to be a part of that process that is why they fail to work togther with Sinn Fein.
Nick - indeed. But this highlights the problem with the enforced coalition, as no matter how much Labour Ministers might loathe each other, they are at least all in the same party as well as the same Cabinet. And, for example, in the South, they are co-operating voluntarily. The Executive could meet, as you suggest, but SF is refusing to do so until the one issue is sorted out.
nb - I agree there's a DUP element that doesn't want to implement P&J powers with SF, although I think they would be perfectly happy to do so with any of the other parties. And as you know I think SF have a problem with it too. You can't run a private army if you are also running the PSNI.
A constitutionally reunited Ireland is just not going to happen - but if by a 'unified Ireland' you mean an all-island economy and an increasingly connected North and South socially and even culturally, that has been happening for a long time. I think we'll reach a point where the border becomes irrelevant, but the only thing that will reunite the isalnd will be aome kind of massive economic shock to the UK which will make us all better off to vote to move. And I can't see that happening - if anything, at a time of economic crisis it's better to stick with the larger, richer and more influential country.
As far as I know and the dogs on the street know the private army you are talking about is no longer an army. Private or Public armies are ruthless machines. There are no good armies. There will be a united Ireland some day. The British government are getting fed up pumping money into this small virtually irrelevant
state. Do you know your Irish, British History well ? We can discuss until the cows come home about various legislative
measures to try and settle the situation. But the answer is United a Country, with Unionism made to feel safe in to carry on thier culture. Religion is becoming more secular and young people don't care anymore. Any way have a nice time in OZ don't worry your grey matter too much about Ireland's difficulties they have been here for over eight centuries.
nb - I know my Irish history well enough to know that the army we are talking about is capable of reassembling and reorganising is they think it's necessary, although how effetively would be another matter.
I agree the British government doesn't want us and would be delighted to shove us off to the South, but they don't want us either and certainly don't want the extra financial burden at the present time. And to pass us over without consent would mean overturning the GFA and would destabilise the 6 country area through renewed loyalist violence and through unionists/ Protestants (and no doubt others too) leaving. (My own view is that their culture - whatever we mean by that - would be safe in a united Ireland but I know it's not a view that's shared widely) So unless GB can twist our arms and the RoI government, I repeat it ain't going to happen.
The funny thing about being in Oz - it's making me think more not less about politics at home. Try explaining NI politics to someone in a properly functioning democracy such as Australia and you'll understand why....
Sorry Jenny but in order to enact change those with the mandates must do it, be they SF or DUP or SDLP/UUP. Without the mandate for change (an instruction to deliver :-) ) there can be no viable alterings.
It goes back to the GFA, and what is needed is a reworking of how to come at it in a more fluid way.
Perhaps under a new centrism, maxing out the constitutional possibilities with a mandate to work with Ireland and Britain; harmonising policy where appropriate but getting deep into the political systems.
Doing this might stop being ethnically out-bid because political integrity will see to that relationships are being formed by NI politicians.
The only way to change the system is to use it, designate unionist and nationalist and abuse a dirty system via an attractive cross-community manifesto in the hope to get the confidence vote for change.
To enlarge the centre will not necessarily mean to be in charge but then it is essential to keep on enlarging!!
It is time for persuasive leadership on the ground not governmental led top-down changes.
As I am a student at Queen's (Where you work)I contniue to read heavily on Irish, and British history.I have a good grasp on politics,and truth be told it is boring. It is stagnant and fusty due to old fashioned religious conserativism here in the North; that generation is the last and will be finished in about fity years. However the next five years here will be a crucial time. What I think there is a lack of positivism in Belfast, and that has to change. Do you know who opened Syndey harbour bridge unofficially when it opened? There is a comical story about that
nb - You intrigued me, I had to look up the story of Francis de Groot and how he usurped the official ribbon-cutting in the name of aggrieved right-wingers. Hilarious. They should have named it the De Groot Bridge after his enterprising effort. But then the blindingly obvious Sydney Harbour Bridge probably appeals to them down-to-earth Aussies.
Nick, Yeah the bridge is very impressive. Also an interesting story is about guy being sent from Ireland to Van Diemns (Tazmaina)land for stealing a pig, while in prison there he and other prisoners ecaped. But while on the run with no food they killed and ate the weakest member of the group until there was just two left. Both of them at night were scared to sleep in case they were well you know turned in the frying pan in the morning. The guy was from Co. Monaghan I think and his name escapes me.
nb - That's impressive that they managed to escape, especially if they were at Port Arthur, which was surrounded on three sides by shark-infested waters.
Sorry, Jenny, getting very off-subject here. I see the NI Executive is finally due to meet on Thursday, after some preliminary discussions on Tuesday about policing and justice. But will the meeting break up in acrimonious conflict with another extended standoff?
DC - yes, ideally a grass roots movement would lead to a new democratic socialist political party that could appeal across the divide, but we're going backwards in that respect (see my next post). I can see what you're saying about designating unionist or nationalist, but a new party has to get in there first - I can't see that any of the Big Four has the capacity to transform itself into a cross-community party.
nb - how can you say politics is boring! It is how the world we live in is shaped! I don't teach politics (perhaps I'd be more cynical about it if I did) but if you are ever in my Planning classes you would spark a tirade!
nb and Nick - interesting story about the bridge and I can't wait to see it again. We'll be there on New Year's Eve for the fireworks, as we are staying very close to it.
Nick - I see the meeting is only positied not certain, but if they come to an agreement then my point stands that some other problem will come along soon. Or, as you say, they won't agree anyway.
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