- Event type: CREATE
Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992
WORK IN PROGRESS - IN THE FINAL STAGES OF EDITING A series of talks launched by Peter Brooke, Secretary of State for Northern in Ireland, which began in April 1991, and were carried on intermittently by Brooke and his successor, Patrick Mayhew, until November 1992.
All-Party Negotiations
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DUP Paper on Underlying Principles 4.5.92
GOVERNMENT PAPER
The DUP found the government paper "Options for new Political Institutions" a useful guide to the issues to be discussed in greater detail by participants.
We found no major disagreement with the skeleton of "Underlying Principles" nor with the list of issues to be faced in shaping the "Institutional framework".
DURABLE AND WORKABLE
The DUP view that political institutions formed from the talks process must be durable and workable has already been given expression in the Common Issues paper tabled today.
Yet durability does not mean inflexibility. Every political institution must be sufficiently flexible to the extent that it should be capable of moving with the political realities of the time. However we suggest that it should be incapable of change by any means other than the consensual process through which it was produced.
The institution must be more than durable and workable, it must produce structures that encourage and ensure proper "parliamentary accountability" .
SELF-SUSTAINING
The institution must not be reliant on a particular electoral result. It must be able to provide automatically for any outcome and not be vulnerable to being overturned at an election. We have already voiced the opinion that our task should not be to seek some temporary expedient. We are not in the business of building a half-way house. One can not cross a chasm with two steps. We must have the courage to complete the task in a single process.
ACCEPTABLE
It must take account of the community divisions. The institution must be acceptable to both sections of the Northern Ireland community. Both should be able to identify with it and feel their representatives have a meaningful role to perform within the structures.
The agreed structure must not be seen as a victory or defeat to any party. It must not be the "1992 model" of a past failed system. It must be sufficiently innovative to ensure that it is not written-off before properly considered. Ultimately the people will make their judgment so the Institutions must be capable of gaining public endorsement.
We feel that we should aim for maximum delegated authority and seek maximum consensus.
The most stable institution will be one reached through agreement by the representatives of both traditions in our divided community.
The system must not be, nor appear to be, rigged in favour of any sectional interest.
DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE
The new structure must be democratically based, bring political stability to the province and make government accessible and accountable to the people.
WITHIN THE UNION
The institution must not imperil Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom and will be a body subordinate to the Westminster parliament.
Decisions yet to be taken
- DUP Paper on Underlying Principles 4.5.92 (introduced on 1992-05-05 10:35:00 - CREATE - e803224) [This document]
Document Timeline
- DUP Paper on Underlying Principles 4.5.92 (introduced on 1992-05-05 10:35:00 - CREATE - e803224) [This document]
[view current proposal at this moment]
- None (introduced on 1992-05-05 10:35:00 - DEBATE_PROPOSAL - e803226) [view current proposal at this moment]