Letter: The restoration of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive which was the central objective of the Good Friday Agreement is a heart-warming development

A letter from John Cushnahan:
By Letters
Published 5th Feb 2024, 02:02 GMT
Updated 5th Feb 2024, 02:17 GMT
Michelle O'Neill surrounded by Sinn Fein colleagues as she speaks after being appointed as Northern Ireland's First Minister during proceedings of at Stormont on Saturday. The event was enriched by the positive tone of her and Emma Little-Pengelly's speeches. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA WireMichelle O'Neill surrounded by Sinn Fein colleagues as she speaks after being appointed as Northern Ireland's First Minister during proceedings of at Stormont on Saturday. The event was enriched by the positive tone of her and Emma Little-Pengelly's speeches. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Michelle O'Neill surrounded by Sinn Fein colleagues as she speaks after being appointed as Northern Ireland's First Minister during proceedings of at Stormont on Saturday. The event was enriched by the positive tone of her and Emma Little-Pengelly's speeches. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

During a time when world headlines have been dominated by depressing accounts of human suffering caused by man’s inhumanity to man in the Middle East and Ukraine, it is rather ironic that a ‘good news’ story from Northern Ireland has temporarily displaced them.

The restoration of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive which was the central objective of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) is a heart-warming welcome development. It has been enriched by the positive and reconciliatory tone of the acceptance speeches delivered in the Stormont chamber by the new first and deputy first ministers Michelle O Neil and Emma Little-Pengelly.

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If the sentiments they expressed are at the heart of all their actions in their new roles, it provides great hope for the future.

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However, the future success of power-sharing institutions is not dependent on them alone. It is dependent primarily on the parties to which they belong and the procedures under which the Stormont assembly functions.

The first power-sharing executive under the GFA took office on 2nd December 1999 over 25 years ago and during this period the executive has not fully functioned for more than 12 of these years because it was collapsed. The main culprits were both Sinn Fein and the DUP. Unfortunately, the St Andrews Agreement provided both of them with a veto. which they used to suit their own selfish political objectives.

As we approach a new and hopeful future, the British and Irish governments together with Northern Ireland political parties should avail of the current climate of goodwill to ensure that neither the largest major unionist or nationalist party is able in the future to collapse the institutions to suit their own narrow political objectives. This can simply be done by amending the St Andrews Agreement to ensure that when either the largest nationalist or unionist party withdraws from government then a voluntary coalition of other parties provided these parties together can command substantial widespread cross-community support is enabled to establish a power-sharing executive.

John Cushnahan, Former Leader of Alliance Party and Former Fine Gael MEP

Related topics:Northern IrelandUkraineMEP