The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement

Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 31 Oct 2022 Closed: 17 Apr 2024 Parliament page
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into the effectiveness of the Institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The inquiry will examine how effective institutions such as the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive have been in enabling cross-community, stable and effective government in Northern Ireland and … Read more
13 Recommendations
16 Conclusions
1 Report
10 Oral sessions
10 Events
Activity timeline 22 events
22 Feb
2024
Report published
4 Dec
2023
Report published
6 Sep
2023
Oral evidence
6 Sep
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
5 Jul
2023
Oral evidence
5 Jul
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
28 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
28 Jun
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
7 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
7 Jun
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
10 May
2023
Oral evidence
10 May
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 10 sessions
6 Sep 2023
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Colum Eastwood MP, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
5 Jul 2023
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Doug Beattie MLA, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
28 Jun 2023
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Naomi Long MLA, Leader of the Alliance Party Rt Hon Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson MP, Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
7 Jun 2023
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Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE, PC, Former First Minister of Northern Ireland Lord Alderdice, Former Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly Mark Durkan, Former Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
10 May 2023
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Dr Andrew McCormick Sir David Sterling Sir Malcolm McKibbin
21 Mar 2023
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Ann Watt · Pivotal David Holloway · Community Dialogue Dr Anthony Soares · Centre for Cross Border Cooperation Dr Gráinne Kelly · Ulster University Emma DeSouza Gráinne Walsh · Stratagem Tim Attwood · The John and Pat Hume Foundation
16 Mar 2023
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Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair KG
1 Mar 2023
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Alan Whysall · Constitution Unit, University College London Dr Sean Haughey · University of Liverpool Professor Alan Renwick · University College London The Lord Bew Tim O'Connor, former diplomat of the Republic of Ireland
7 Feb 2023
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Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH
23 Jan 2023
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Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach of Ireland
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belf… HC 45 4 Dec 2023 29 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
11 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Groundwork for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement established through extensive pre-1998 dialogue.
In the years leading up to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, considerable groundwork had been laid through patient negotiation, compromise, and determination to end the Troubles, a period of conflict which had claimed the lives of more of more than 3,500 … Read more
Government Response
The government recognised the importance and achievements of the Agreement, affirming its role as a living document, and stated its commitment to ensuring any future discussions on reforms are led by the people of Northern Ireland with cross-community consent.
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3 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Belfast/Good Friday Agreement forms the legitimate basis of devolved government in Northern Ireland.
The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is the basis of devolved government in Northern Ireland. Several key provisions are codified in both domestic and international law and it has overwhelming democratic legitimacy—from which is derived a near- universal understanding that Northern Ireland … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the inquiry and reaffirms its unshakable commitment to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, sharing the Committee's view that it provides the only legitimate basis for governance in Northern Ireland.
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4 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Reform of Belfast/Good Friday Agreement institutions requires substantive calls from Northern Ireland's people.
As we will set out, this inquiry has found that there is scope for reform of the Agreement’s institutions—as is reflected in the findings that follow. It has also found that there is notable public interest in options for reform. … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges to stability and public interest in reform, agreeing that any substantive discussion on reforms must be led by the people of Northern Ireland and their representatives.
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6 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Reform of Strand One institutions remains possible but often piecemeal and inconsistently implemented.
In the 25 years since their inception, numerous attempts have been made at strengthening the viability and stability of the Strand One institutions in complex and challenging political circumstances. The successor agreements—and subsequent legislative alterations to the institutions—serve to illustrate … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges and the committee's observations, reiterating its long-standing approach of working with local parties on the basis of cross-community consent for changes and noting that any future reform discussions must be carefully considered with community support.
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7 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Cross-community safeguards inadequately accommodate Northern Ireland's growing non-designated population.
Cross-community safeguards were a fundamental aspect of the Strand One institutions’ design. They recognised and accommodated the politics of a deeply divided, post-conflict society and were undoubtedly fundamental to securing agreement between Unionist and Nationalist parties in 1998. With an … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges of balancing cross-community governance and institutional stability, stating that any significant change to cross-community protections would require the support of the whole community.
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8 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Strand One institutions highly unstable due to single party veto over Executive formation.
There is broad consensus that the Strand One institutions are unstable and prone to collapse. The current system of nomination to the positions of First Minister and Deputy First Minister gives, in effect, a single party a veto over Executive … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the instability challenges and notes that discussions on the First Minister and Deputy First Minister nomination process are ongoing, but any significant departure from cross-community protections, like a supermajority nomination, would require extensive consultation and consideration.
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Strand One institutions achieve effective legislative output and key industry development during stable periods.
In spite of their instability—owed in part to stringent cross-community safeguards— the institutions have shown that they can be effective in terms of legislative output. During periods of relative stability, by that metric the Assembly arguably outperforms its counterparts in … Read more
Government Response
The government welcomes the report and shares the sentiment, acknowledging the significance and transformative impact of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.
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11 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Northern Ireland's institutional design and political realities hinder government effectiveness.
While the design of the institutions—primarily through the use of vetoes and a system of mandatory coalition—stymies the effectiveness of government in Northern Ireland, we also recognise that the success of the institutions in turn depends on the political will … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the challenges concerning the stability of the Northern Ireland institutions and the need for reforms to command widespread community support. It states that a review of the Agreement is not being considered at this time, but recognises the report's articulation of governance challenges.
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23 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Strand Three institutions offer significant untapped potential for cross-island cooperation and mutual benefit.
As with Strand Two, we recognise the importance of Strand Three to the overall character and successful functioning of the Agreement. Ostensibly—and evidenced by the way in which they have largely been used—the institutions under Strand Three serve to provide … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of Strand Three to the Agreement and commits to utilising its full potential, noting that the relevant bodies already meet regularly and the Prime Minister attended in 2022.
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25 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Public dissatisfaction with Strand One institutions necessitates formal debate and significant reform.
It is clear from our own commissioned research—and that undertaken by others— that there is widespread public dissatisfaction with the stability and effectiveness of the Strand One institutions. There is also evidence of growing dissatisfaction with The effectiveness of the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the public's dissatisfaction and interest in reform, committing to continuing to listen to community views but emphasizing that discussions on reforms should be led by the people of Northern Ireland and their representatives.
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28 Conclusion Acknowledged
First Report - The effectiveness o…
Citizens’ assemblies offer significant potential for meaningful civic engagement and issue resolution.
The potential for meaningful, substantive engagement with civic society has already been formally acknowledged by both governments and the Northern Ireland parties as a means of finding a pathway through Northern Ireland’s most intractable issues. Citizens’ assemblies have the potential … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of civic engagement and notes the calls for more mechanisms, but states that delivering on existing commitments is for the restored Northern Ireland Executive.
Northern Ireland Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 29 of 13 classified
Accepted 1
Acknowledged 11
Rejected 17
Total 13 recs + 16 conclusions