Gfa Description

he Good Friday Agreement

Ø It is in no doubt that the signing of the GFA in 1998 was a remarkable achievement; the agreement represented the culmination of exhaustive multi-party, intergovernmental and bilateral talks.

Ø What was impressive was the willingness of Sinn Fein and the UUP to support and agreement that represented such a shift from their previous negotiating positions.

Ø Although the process was not entirely inclusive with the DUP and UKUP declining to participate it is important to note that majority of Northern Irish opinion was represented. And if nothing else, helps to legitimise its position.

Ø Another impressive branch of the GFA was that despite the lack of convergence in Northern Ireland, the agreement allowed for each protagonist to interpret it as a victory for his tradition. Sinn Fein leaders presented the GFA as part of a process towards Irish unity and pro-Agreement unionist’s leaders claimed it was a settlement that involved the strengthening of the union.

The contents of the agreement

Ø Strand 1: a devolved Northern Ireland Assembly of 108 seats presided over by a cross community executive and headed by a First Minister and a Deputy Minister.

Ø Strand 2: a North-South ministerial council, to establish all Ireland implementation bodies in at least six policy areas.

Ø Strand 3: a British-Irish council compromising representatives from the British and Irish governments alongside those from devolved institutions in the UK. A British Irish intergovernmental conference designed to explore the totality of relationships between the two islands replaced by the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

Ø Other important contents include:

Ø A devolved NI executive with 12 ministers with at least 5 of whom are from the ‘minority’ community.

Ø A First Minister and Deputy Minister of equal status that is they are answerable to one another.

Ø The Irish government also dropped it constitutional claim to NI. Therefore Articles...