Northern Ireland – what next?

John Finucane speaking

by New Worker correspondent

Northern Ireland today – still divided by partition and sectarian division. There’s clearly still a job to do but there’s hope for the future. And at a meeting at the House of Commons in London on 25 April MPs on both sides of the Irish Sea joined in the discussion on the current situation following the historic 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA).
    Chaired by the Sinn Fein MP for Fermanagh & South Tyrone Michelle Guildernew, the panel included Pat Doherty, who was part of the Sinn Fein (SF) team at the negotiations, John Finucane, SF MP for North Belfast, Helen Jackson, a former Labour MP who was secretary to the late Mo Mowlam during the talks, former TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady, and the actor Adrian Dunbar, star of the TV series Line of Duty.
    Pat Doherty gave a gripping account of the peace talks before 1998, including the two IRA cease-fires, describing the "huge conflicts" between the Unionist parties, and saying that those who didn't join the talks (the Democratic Unionist Party walked out and the Ulster Unionist Party didn't take part) "made a huge strategic blunder".
    Doherty also said the the Women's Coalition, led by Catholic academic Monica McWilliams, "was a breath of fresh air" during the talks.
    Adrian Dunbar reminded the meeting that Belfast still retains a segregated education system, "with millions spent every year bussing children across the city". "The GFA sadly hasn't delivered on an integrated education system".
    John Finucane said it was important "never to underestimate the success of the GFA", pointing to the economic successes in finance technology, cyber security and two Belfast film studios, but condemned the Sunak government for pushing through a new bill "which will undermine the reconciliation process".
    He said "there is still a job of work to do" with major problems with inadequate spending grants from London, in health and job creation.
    Finucane pointed out that For the first time since 1921, Sinn Fein is the largest party" but was unable to govern due to the suspension of the Assembly by the DUP. With the largest number of seats the Sinn Fein president Michelle O'Neill is now in line to be First Minister.
    He also pointed out that the Biden administration has made clear that until London resolves the North-South border situation "there will be no trade deal, and no prime ministerial or state visits" until London resolves the North-South border situation and removes any threat to the GFA.
    Looking to the future, Finucane said "a new Ireland is not about rubbing out the border on the map and saying 'job done', but about equality, parity of esteem, and resolving power sharing".