Constructing peace in Northern Ireland

Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Danny Kennedy has addressed an international Conference on Peacebuilding set up by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association where he looked at how the Ulster Unionist Party helped construct peace in Northern Ireland.

Speaking to the audience Danny made some general comments about the workings of the Belfast Agreement and what has become known around the world as the Peace Process.

"The Ulster Unionist Party is extremely proud of its role in constructing the peace here and the devolved democratic institutions that you are visiting today. Along with the SDLP and the two Governments, we played a pivotal role in moulding a system that although far from perfect, has given the people of Northern Ireland the capability to contemplate a future in which prosperity, community and children's futures, prevail over violence and hatred."

"The Belfast Agreement was based on three basic premises: Firstly that Executive power can only be devolved to Northern Ireland if it is shared across both traditional communities; secondly the constitutional status of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom can only be changed if the majority of people in Northern Ireland want it; but thirdly, and at the same time, the basic identities and constitutional preferences of the two main traditions here were recognised.

When the Belfast Agreement was signed and when devolution first came to Northern Ireland, there were still understandably some outstanding issues, such as decommissioning of weapons and in more recent times the devolution of policing and justice.

However, the fact that some view the devolved institutions and the Belfast Agreement as part of an ongoing peace process has in many respects meant that we have neglected to implement all the benefits of peace, through the best government possible.

Too often these institutions seem to be a place of negotiation, and constitutional stand off.

There are many difficulties in administering our power-sharing institutions. As you can appreciate it is very difficult for parties with very different socio-economic viewpoints to agree in an Executive, never mind the constitutional issue. However, it can work if politicians are prepared to work together to build good government and to concentrate on the social and economic issues that matter so much to the everyday lives of the people of Northern Ireland.

So on reflection to what you are seeking to achieve with your International Parliamentary Conference on Peace Building, one of the main messages I would give is that when agreement is reached, politicians must work hard to deliver positive outcomes for the people they represent. They must work hard on good government and on implementing the peace, in contrast to endlessly consulting a peace process.

However, it is not all doom and gloom. Whilst the Northern Ireland Executive is far from perfect, we have come a considerably long way.

A working Assembly has given the people of Northern Ireland a level of democratic accountability that they have not experienced for a very long time. We now have a well-established, professional and extremely committed collection of interest groups that you would find in any modern democracy.

They have regular and important contact with local politicians and Assembly committees, helping us to make decisions by imparting their expertise and knowledge. This is real progress and has helped rebuild community confidence in the political system.

And whilst I have outlined some of the difficulties with peace building in Northern Ireland with regards our institutions there are many success stories as well. The Committee system in the Northern Ireland Assembly has produced some excellent work based on all parties working together and building genuine consensus.

The Assembly also carries out Assembly Road Shows were groups of MLAs travel around Northern Ireland to be quizzed directly by the public in their local area. I believe this has helped to build community confidence and accountability.

I am privileged to Chair the Committee for the Office of the First and deputy First Minister; we have produced numerous reports not least an inquiry into child poverty in Northern Ireland and most recently a report on how we might improve this institution's working relationship with Europe. This situation is replicated across all Committees in this Assembly. Politicians of very differing views work amicably together to help improve the lives of everyone in Northern Ireland.

You are correct to ask about the balance between scrutiny and undermining the fragile nature of the institutions.

It is obvious that if four parties share power with each other in the same Executive, there will be many differing opinions that can inevitably permeate down to an Assembly made up of roughly the same parties.

However, what I would say is that the more honest and consensual the Executive, the more honest and open the scrutiny will be. The more focused the Executive is on delivering outcomes that will improve peoples lives, the more focused the Assembly will be on ensuring those policies are right and the best available.

Other factors can play a part. We cannot forget that we are developing; there is growing consensus that the Executive has to improve its financial management processes. This inadvertently may lead to more co-operative style of government that might lead to better scrutiny.

Strengthening Civil Society is often about giving community groups the support and recognition they deserve. Like with interest groups giving communities a voice and a platform to interact with their politicians and the Assembly is crucial.

In Northern Ireland we are lucky to have a fantastic standard of journalism. We have a media that is willing and prepared to scrutinise the Executive and Assembly. However, I would say that sometimes we are caught up in peace process journalism and can over look the genuine progress that we make on legislation or policy in this place.

Delivering the message that this place matters for more reasons than holding together the peace is difficult, but it is a message that we must deliver and that the media, I am confident, will continue to engage with more and more.

The best way to tackle potential state and institutional fragility is to have a common purpose of delivering for the society you represent.