- Event type: CREATE_FROM
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.
Political Structures Sub-Committee
Editor's Note: This sub-Committee was initially commissioned by the Plenary to discuss proposals for new political structures in Northern Ireland. By 26 May, the Talks have run into difficulty and the Business Committee sets a fresh agenda and terms of reference for the sub-Committee. It is asked to focus on the impasse in the Talks, and it is agreed that minutes will not be taken or papers circulated beyond the membership of the sub-Committee and the Party Leaders. As there appears to be continuity within the Committee rather than a complete reconstitution, we model the sessions from 27 May as being part of the same sub-Committee. Records for this later period are, however, more scarce since formal minutes were no longer produced.
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Session 14106: 1992-06-05 10:00:00
A meeting of the sub-Committee which was subsequently adjourned out of respect on account of a tragic coach crash at Carrickfergus the evening before. After the formal adjournment, informal discussions and meetings seem to have continued throughout the morning. Notes preserved from these discussions are recorded as part of this meeting.
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Checklist of Points Touched on in the Sub-Committee 1 June 1992
Checklist of Points touched on in the Sub-Committee on 1 June
1. Under any of the proposed institutional structures there would be a need to agree a hierarchy of types of decision which could be taken by officials, Heads of Departments and the members of any Executive, Executive Committee or whatever.
2. It was not too difficult to think of ways in which minorities could be protected by, eg, a requirement for a weighted majority vote in certain categories of cases or an arrangement which would allow a sizeable majority to refer a particular measure for wider (or outside) scrutiny; but it was not so easy to see how a policy objective supported by a minority supported by a minority cold [sic] be guaranteed a fair hearing.
3. It was noted that under any system there would be merit in establishing an Assembly Public Accounts Committee to consider reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General.
4. In respect of matters which were not transferred it was agreed that there should be an input to the Secretary of State from any elected body or bodies in the new institutional structure.
5. Specifically on law and order/security matters some interest was shown in a graded approach which secured the greatest possible role for local representatives while acknowledging the particular difficulties and sensitivities.
6. On EC matters it was generally acknowledged that there was widespread public concern to ensure that Northern Ireland got the best possible deal out of the EC. It was agreed there would be advantage in local institutions having some input to deliberations in the Council of Ministers. The possibility of securing solid benefits for Northern Ireland as a result of co-operating with the authorities in the Republic on EC initiatives (for example in agriculture) should be considered despite possible presentational difficulties for some parties.
Decisions yet to be taken
- Checklist of Points Touched on in the Sub-Committee 1 June 1992 (introduced on 1992-06-05 10:00:00 - CREATE_FROM - e904561) [This document]
Document Timeline
- Checklist of Points Touched on in the Sub-Committee 1 June 1992 (introduced on 1992-06-05 10:00:00 - CREATE_FROM - e904561) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]