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Inter-ethnic/State Relations: Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement

Implementations

Inter-ethnic/State Relations – 1998

To promote inter-ethnic cooperation and strengthen the relationship between Northern Ireland and Britain, provisions of the cross-community voting to elect the first and deputy first ministers, sharing ministerial positions among parties based on the DÕHondt method of Proportional Representation, legislation to prove the guarantee of European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and any Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, the establishment of Human Rights Commission, Equality Commission and the establishment of a consultative Civic Forum are provided in the Good Friday Agreement.

The election of Northern Ireland Assembly took place in June 1998 based on the DÕHondt method of Proportional Representation and the First Minister, Deputy First Minster and Ministers in Northern Ireland Executive were elected based on proportional representation in November 1998.¹

“Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 1998,” ARK, accessed January 21, 2013, http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fa98.htm.

Inter-ethnic/State Relations – 1999

Regarding the guarantee of European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in Northern Ireland, the ECHR has been effective since 2 December 1999, after the establishment of Northern Ireland Executive on 29 November 1999.¹ The Northern Ireland Act of 1998 has provided for the establishment of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the commission finally came into existence on 1 March 1999.² The Northern Ireland Act 1998 also provided for the establishment of Equality Commission which became operational on 1 September 1999.³

“Whose human rights in Northern Ireland?” BBC News, October 5, 2000.
“Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission,” BBC News, accessed January 21, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/equality/hr2.shtml
“Equality Commission for Northern Ireland,” BBC News, accessed January 21, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/equality/equality…

Inter-ethnic/State Relations – 2000

The Good Friday Agreement provided for the establishment of Civic Forum as a consultative mechanism on social, economic and cultural issues and this form was to be representative of the business, trade union and voluntary sectors, and such other sectors as agreed by the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. The forum offers its view on social, economic and cultural issues but its views are not binding. The Northern Ireland Act 1998 has provided for the establishment of the Civic Forum. The First and Deputy First Ministers announced the membership of the forum on 25 September 2000 with Chris Gibson as a chairperson of the 60 member forum.¹ The forum met for the first time on 9 October 2000. After the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive, the Civic Forum has not been reactivated. The intention of the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to launch a public consultation similar to Civic Forum did not happen.²

“Civic Forum,” BBC News, accessed January 21, 2013, http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/agreement/governance/civic2…
“Devolved Government – The Civic Forum,” accessed January 21, 2013 http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/civicforum/.