Joe Byrne MLA for West Tyrone and one of the SDLP’s negotiators at the Hass Talks over the last 4 months, speaking this week after the conclusion of the marathon discussions said “The conclusion of the Hass Talks on New Year’s Eve is viewed by the SDLP as a qualified success given the complexity of issues under discussion and the challenge of trying to reach a five party consensus outcome.”
“From an SDLP and Nationalist perspective the concluding seventh draft document does represent quite a successful outcome in terms of dealing with the Past, a more moderate achievement in terms of Parading, and a less than successful outcome in terms of Flags and Emblems. The successive long-term outcome or otherwise of these Haass/O’Sullivan negotiations can only be judged in time as a legislative process must now be embarked upon in Westminster and the Assembly in order to implement agreed outcomes, hopefully concluding in a comprehensive and meaningful mechanism on the matters agreed.”
“For me personally as a senior SDLP negotiator in this talk’s process, it was a major challenge of the political dynamic now pertaining in the North where five parties were presenting and dealing on their list of issues and policy perspectives pertaining to the three big matters of Flags, Parades and the Past. Given that the First Minister Peter Robinson, and the deputy First Minister Martin McGuiness formally invited Dr Haass and Prof Megan O’Sullivan to convene the talks process back in the summer, it was important to establish a negotiating process to help relieve the political log jam that has bedevilled the Northern Ireland Assembly Executive from functioning smoothly over the last year in particular.”
“The SDLP Party Executive and the Parliamentary Group agreed last night (Thursday) to proceed in a positive way to ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to immediately convene a five party working group and request that the two Governments jointly push for a legislative programme to implement the agreed issues concluded at this stage and facilitate for agreed outcomes going forward. The proposed Cultural Commission to deal with Flags, Emblems and Identity must report within 18 months on those matters regarding national flags and other symbols flown and displayed in public buildings, either Central Government and/or Local Authority locations.”
“The SDLP set out from the start to engage wider civic society, and victims groups and organisations in particular, in the context of dealing with the past; we were delighted with the public response and the response of victims groups who made over 600 submissions to the Haass process. As a result the matter of dealing with the past became the main item of discussion and indeed success at this stage. On the parading issue, the SDLP from the outset stated that there should be regulation and legislative controls in order to have parades, protest events and commemorative events managed in a more adequate way.”
“The two main Unionist Parties and the Orange Order in particular wanted no regulation or controls on parades and no legislation in regard to any criteria and code of conduct. From the outset the two Unionist Parties stated that they wanted the Parades Commission abolished which would be a return to mayhem and disorder of such public events. Even though two new bodies are being established to deal with parades and public events, there are some issues that need to be dealt with in legislative terms so that nominated organisers of parades or bands are held accountable for any activities or difficulties that may arise when such public events are held. It is important that the proposed legislation regarding parades and public events is adequate to make sure that parading does not become an ongoing sore that may damage community relations and create further community tensions.”
“The marathon discussions that took place initially in the Europa Hotel, Belfast up until the end of November, and then the more intensive negotiations in December took place in the Stormont Hastings Hotel were a major challenge for the now devolved political process operating in the North of Ireland. Even though the British and Irish Governments are the custodians of the Good Friday Agreement, they were not formally at the table, which may have been a drawback. It is now crucial however that the two Governments use all their good influence so that the Haass talks process outcome is maximised and made effective through legislation in order to have a better functioning democratic political system working smoothly in the North of Ireland.”
“From a personal perspective being involved in this recent current round of negotiations was very demanding and challenging. It was satisfying to be able to contribute to the SDLP Party input to such political deliberations. Everyone across the North and indeed these islands wants to see progress and less threatening public events disturbing daily life here.”
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