The Alliance Party today launched their ‘Yes’ Campaign for the May 22 Referendum, at a press conference in their Party Headquarters.
Lord Alderdice said:
“From now to Referendum Day our single priority is to tell the people of Northern Ireland the truth about the Good Friday Agreement. The level of lies and misinformation that has been inspired by the ‘No’ campaign has been disappointing. Their campaign for a ‘No’ vote began long before the parties that had the courage to stay at the Talks had reached any agreement. With that in mind, it is perhaps not surprising that the information that they are giving people bears little similarity to the contents of the Agreement.”
At the Press Conference, Campaign Director Cllr. Richard Good showed journalists a room in the Party’s headquarters building which has been converted to an information room for the Referendum Campaign. Posters on the wall of the room read ‘Welcome to the Alliance Truth Commission’.
Cllr Good said:
“The volume of letters and calls received here at Party Headquarters and by our Councillors across Northern Ireland has shown us that many people who want to support this Agreement are becoming confused by the ‘No’ campaign. They are left in confusion when the DUP/UKUP campaign tell them things about the Agreement that, upon further reading, simply cannot be found anywhere in the Agreement. Our campaign is designed to do one thing - to tell it as it is to the people of Northern Ireland. When we do, I am convinced that people will recognise that the Agreement is a compromise - and the best way forward for all of us.”
Showing posts with label John Alderdice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Alderdice. Show all posts
01 May 1998
07 April 1998
"Don't repeat Sunningdale mistake": Alderdice
Alliance Leader, Lord Alderdice, Deputy Leader, Seamus Close and former Leader, Oliver Napier, have travelled to Hillsborough this evening to meet the Prime Minister.
On leaving Castle Buildings, the Alliance Leader said:
“I was pleased that the Prime Minister responded positively to our request that he travel urgently to Northern Ireland. The paper presented early this morning was a step backwards rather than forwards in our search for a settlement. The Prime Minister’s decision to come to the Talks has opened the possibility that an agreement could be reached.
“The Governments, and parties to the Talks, must realise that if they push too far in any agreement it will not work. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of 1974 and 1985 again. History has shown that even if Party Leaders, in the pressure of negotiations, sign up to an agreement, such agreements can collapse under pressure.
“The Prime Minister must learn from the mistakes of the past and help us to reach a realistic agreement by Thursday.”
NOTES:
Oliver Napier, former Alliance Leader was one of the four signatories to the 1973 Sunningdale Agreement which established a power-sharing Assembly in Belfast in 1974. This Agreement subsequently collapsed in the face of unionist pressure.
On leaving Castle Buildings, the Alliance Leader said:
“I was pleased that the Prime Minister responded positively to our request that he travel urgently to Northern Ireland. The paper presented early this morning was a step backwards rather than forwards in our search for a settlement. The Prime Minister’s decision to come to the Talks has opened the possibility that an agreement could be reached.
“The Governments, and parties to the Talks, must realise that if they push too far in any agreement it will not work. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of 1974 and 1985 again. History has shown that even if Party Leaders, in the pressure of negotiations, sign up to an agreement, such agreements can collapse under pressure.
“The Prime Minister must learn from the mistakes of the past and help us to reach a realistic agreement by Thursday.”
NOTES:
Oliver Napier, former Alliance Leader was one of the four signatories to the 1973 Sunningdale Agreement which established a power-sharing Assembly in Belfast in 1974. This Agreement subsequently collapsed in the face of unionist pressure.
01 April 1998
Building a future together
Building a future together
Lord Alderdice
April 1998
Agreement close
The next few months promise to some of the most exciting in Northern Ireland’s history. At long last, despite all the setbacks, we are finally in reach of an agreement in the Talks. We are closer to an historic breakthrough than at any time since 1973.
This current phase of Talks has lasted almost two years. Despite all the play acting, walk-outs and refusal to engage on substantive issues from many, the process is still on course. Both the British and Irish Governments have invested so much political capital in achieving a positive outcome, with the assistance of the Americans. The three independent Chairmen have made an enormous contribution to our forthcoming success. If some of Northern Ireland’s politicians throw this precious opportunity away, it will be hard our people to forgive them.
The shape of this agreement has been clear for quite some time: power-sharing regional government, accountable North-South arrangements, protections for human rights and entrenchment of the right of the people of Northern Ireland to democratically decide their own future, i.e. the principle of Consent. Alliance has been arguing for all of these principles for many years.
The significance of political parties from right across the community can agree on a new set of institutions for Northern Ireland, and the people of Ireland both North and South say ‘Yes’ in a referendum will be enormous. For the first time, all the people of the island will be agreeing on a common way forward. A powerful message will be sent to the paramilitaries, both Republican and Loyalist, that your violence can serve no political purpose.
Rebuilding society
These new institutions will not by themselves solve all of Northern Ireland’s problems. There are many social and economic problems remain to be tackled. Many of our politicians have neglected such issues as they have concentrated on constitutional and security issues. Northern Ireland will remain a deeply divided society. The cancers of tribalism and sectarianism that plague our society must be addressed.
Our new system of government will give the people of Northern Ireland the tools to build a new society. We will be given the opportunity to construct a new future together. Alliance is committed to helping them in this task of building a fair, just, peaceful and prosperous society.
But there are many obstacles to be faced. It can be anticipated that extreme Unionism and extreme Nationalism could join forces in some unholy alliance to bring the hard-earned agreements crashing down.
It is not enough to have an ‘historic compromise’ on institutions of government if the people of Northern Ireland are thrown into mutually opposed tribes. There is substantial evidence from other countries’ experiences with power-sharing that the more rigid the divisions within society, the more unstable that system of government will become. In Northern Ireland, we have the added problem of competing claims for self-determination. Success in our new experiment will depend upon increasing the pluralism within Northern Ireland and mutual acceptance of the principle of Consent.
Already, there is much more pluralism within Northern Ireland than people frequently imagine. Not everyone identifies themselves with Unionism or Nationalism, many people reject tribal politics and become frustrated when other people attempt to label or pigeon-hole them. Furthermore, neither Unionism nor Nationalism are monolithic blocs.
Yet, many people persist in describing Northern Ireland in terms of a ‘two communities’ problem. As if it was not bad enough that the ‘troubles’ have deepened the polarisation in our society, the use of such language creates and reinforces mindsets of division and separation. Perhaps it suits the agendas of some people, but it is deeply damaging to building a common sense of community within Northern Ireland.
Alliance believes that it is important that people are allowed to break out of tribal constraints, that such steps are acknowledged and appreciated, and that they are not disenfranchised or lose any political rights as a result of these choices.
We have been careful in the Talks to ensure that in the forthcoming system of government sectarian divisions or a ‘two communities’ analysis are not entrenched. These structures must on the one hand recognise that there are deep divisions within society, but be flexible enough to accommodate and even encourage a realignment of our political system away from one based on sectarianism to competing perspectives on how to deal with social and economic problems.
Policies pursued by the new Assembly and North-South body should be appraised on the basis of sharing v separation. Will they help overcome the sectarianism and segregation endemic in so many aspects of our society or further add to these problems? The promotion of integrated education is a central objective.
Northern Ireland’s politicians have so far neglected its many social and economic problems. Alliance has called for a strong devolved Assembly with legislative and tax-varying powers to give public representatives the opportunity to shape society. No one seriously believes that Northern Ireland can survive and prosper without help from outside. But we in Northern Ireland need to escape from our dependency culture, and take more respsonsibility for our own actions. It is important that decisions, where possible and efficient, should be taken as close as possible to the people they affect.
We all need to turn our minds to the values that we want to underline Northern Ireland society, post-agreement. For a liberal party such as Alliance, these are straightforward. We must look to a liberal society based on respect for the individual, no matter what culture he or she chooses to identify with, tolerance for diversity, and respect and protection for everyone’s human rights. We need to foster a entreprenurial spirit to help in the creation of wealth, and the social conscience to ensure that everyone has a stake in society and has equality of opportunity, particularly access to free and quality health care and education.
Lord Alderdice is Leader of the Alliance Party.
Lord Alderdice
April 1998
Agreement close
The next few months promise to some of the most exciting in Northern Ireland’s history. At long last, despite all the setbacks, we are finally in reach of an agreement in the Talks. We are closer to an historic breakthrough than at any time since 1973.
This current phase of Talks has lasted almost two years. Despite all the play acting, walk-outs and refusal to engage on substantive issues from many, the process is still on course. Both the British and Irish Governments have invested so much political capital in achieving a positive outcome, with the assistance of the Americans. The three independent Chairmen have made an enormous contribution to our forthcoming success. If some of Northern Ireland’s politicians throw this precious opportunity away, it will be hard our people to forgive them.
The shape of this agreement has been clear for quite some time: power-sharing regional government, accountable North-South arrangements, protections for human rights and entrenchment of the right of the people of Northern Ireland to democratically decide their own future, i.e. the principle of Consent. Alliance has been arguing for all of these principles for many years.
The significance of political parties from right across the community can agree on a new set of institutions for Northern Ireland, and the people of Ireland both North and South say ‘Yes’ in a referendum will be enormous. For the first time, all the people of the island will be agreeing on a common way forward. A powerful message will be sent to the paramilitaries, both Republican and Loyalist, that your violence can serve no political purpose.
Rebuilding society
These new institutions will not by themselves solve all of Northern Ireland’s problems. There are many social and economic problems remain to be tackled. Many of our politicians have neglected such issues as they have concentrated on constitutional and security issues. Northern Ireland will remain a deeply divided society. The cancers of tribalism and sectarianism that plague our society must be addressed.
Our new system of government will give the people of Northern Ireland the tools to build a new society. We will be given the opportunity to construct a new future together. Alliance is committed to helping them in this task of building a fair, just, peaceful and prosperous society.
But there are many obstacles to be faced. It can be anticipated that extreme Unionism and extreme Nationalism could join forces in some unholy alliance to bring the hard-earned agreements crashing down.
It is not enough to have an ‘historic compromise’ on institutions of government if the people of Northern Ireland are thrown into mutually opposed tribes. There is substantial evidence from other countries’ experiences with power-sharing that the more rigid the divisions within society, the more unstable that system of government will become. In Northern Ireland, we have the added problem of competing claims for self-determination. Success in our new experiment will depend upon increasing the pluralism within Northern Ireland and mutual acceptance of the principle of Consent.
Already, there is much more pluralism within Northern Ireland than people frequently imagine. Not everyone identifies themselves with Unionism or Nationalism, many people reject tribal politics and become frustrated when other people attempt to label or pigeon-hole them. Furthermore, neither Unionism nor Nationalism are monolithic blocs.
Yet, many people persist in describing Northern Ireland in terms of a ‘two communities’ problem. As if it was not bad enough that the ‘troubles’ have deepened the polarisation in our society, the use of such language creates and reinforces mindsets of division and separation. Perhaps it suits the agendas of some people, but it is deeply damaging to building a common sense of community within Northern Ireland.
Alliance believes that it is important that people are allowed to break out of tribal constraints, that such steps are acknowledged and appreciated, and that they are not disenfranchised or lose any political rights as a result of these choices.
We have been careful in the Talks to ensure that in the forthcoming system of government sectarian divisions or a ‘two communities’ analysis are not entrenched. These structures must on the one hand recognise that there are deep divisions within society, but be flexible enough to accommodate and even encourage a realignment of our political system away from one based on sectarianism to competing perspectives on how to deal with social and economic problems.
Policies pursued by the new Assembly and North-South body should be appraised on the basis of sharing v separation. Will they help overcome the sectarianism and segregation endemic in so many aspects of our society or further add to these problems? The promotion of integrated education is a central objective.
Northern Ireland’s politicians have so far neglected its many social and economic problems. Alliance has called for a strong devolved Assembly with legislative and tax-varying powers to give public representatives the opportunity to shape society. No one seriously believes that Northern Ireland can survive and prosper without help from outside. But we in Northern Ireland need to escape from our dependency culture, and take more respsonsibility for our own actions. It is important that decisions, where possible and efficient, should be taken as close as possible to the people they affect.
We all need to turn our minds to the values that we want to underline Northern Ireland society, post-agreement. For a liberal party such as Alliance, these are straightforward. We must look to a liberal society based on respect for the individual, no matter what culture he or she chooses to identify with, tolerance for diversity, and respect and protection for everyone’s human rights. We need to foster a entreprenurial spirit to help in the creation of wealth, and the social conscience to ensure that everyone has a stake in society and has equality of opportunity, particularly access to free and quality health care and education.
Lord Alderdice is Leader of the Alliance Party.
27 January 1998
Alderdice: The ball is in our court
Alliance Leader, Lord Alderdice, commenting on today’s Strand 2 paper from the British and Irish Governments, has called for the parties to address the questions raised.
Speaking from Lancaster House, Lord Alderdice said:
“Last week, the parties batted the ball to the two Governments. Today the Governments just batted the ball back.
“This paper is just a series of questions to focus the negotiations, but already some parties are trying to bat the ball back to the Governments again.
“I would appeal to colleagues in the Talks to stop playing this game of pingpong and start giving answers to the questions.
“Some parties will find the questions more difficult to answer than others. But avoiding the questions, and passing the buck, is an irresponsible waste of negotiating time.”
Speaking from Lancaster House, Lord Alderdice said:
“Last week, the parties batted the ball to the two Governments. Today the Governments just batted the ball back.
“This paper is just a series of questions to focus the negotiations, but already some parties are trying to bat the ball back to the Governments again.
“I would appeal to colleagues in the Talks to stop playing this game of pingpong and start giving answers to the questions.
“Some parties will find the questions more difficult to answer than others. But avoiding the questions, and passing the buck, is an irresponsible waste of negotiating time.”
05 December 1997
Hope and optimism must be mixed with realism: Alderdice
Alliance Leader Lord Alderdice, speaking at todays meeting of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin Castle has issued challenges to participants to face the realities of the Talks Process.
Lord Alderdice said:
“I welcome the increasing network of contacts which is part of the process of inclusivity necessary to build the peace which delegates here have been seeking since the Forums original inception. I therefore hope that not only will Unionists find their way to a future meeting of this Forum but also that Sinn Fein and the SDLP will join the Forum in Belfast so that all strands of opinion in Northern Ireland will have a meeting place.
“I share the hope and optimism which has been expressed by delegates this morning but there is also a need for realism. There will have to be changes to the Irish Constitution to remove the claim of jurisdiction over Northern Ireland. It is in any case a political rather than a legal claim. After all, the Irish Government has never tried to prosecute it through the International Court of Justice, for it has no proper legal basis in International Law. In return there will need to be North - South arrangements for both practical and political reasons. But let us be realistic. They will not have Executive powers. They may have Executive functions, but there will not be an incipient All Ireland Governmental arrangement. What is possible is an Inter Governmental Conference like the European Council of Ministers or the Anglo-Irish Inter Governmental Conference, but this is an expression of democratically accountable Executive functions, not simple Executive power.”
Lord Alderdice also challenged Sinn Fein to assist the International Body on Decommissioning by undertaking to put them in touch with those in the Republican Movement who have access to the weapons stocks.
He went on to suggest to the Irish Government that there was now a prospect of the creation of an island wide framework for Human Rights, by following the British Incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights. “The Republic will soon be the only signatory in Western Europe not to have incorporated the convention”, he said.
Concluding his remarks John Alderdice said “The aim of the Talks and of all of us is to try to build a community were everyone can feel at home in their own place, and I am increasingly optimistic that we can succeed”.
Lord Alderdice said:
“I welcome the increasing network of contacts which is part of the process of inclusivity necessary to build the peace which delegates here have been seeking since the Forums original inception. I therefore hope that not only will Unionists find their way to a future meeting of this Forum but also that Sinn Fein and the SDLP will join the Forum in Belfast so that all strands of opinion in Northern Ireland will have a meeting place.
“I share the hope and optimism which has been expressed by delegates this morning but there is also a need for realism. There will have to be changes to the Irish Constitution to remove the claim of jurisdiction over Northern Ireland. It is in any case a political rather than a legal claim. After all, the Irish Government has never tried to prosecute it through the International Court of Justice, for it has no proper legal basis in International Law. In return there will need to be North - South arrangements for both practical and political reasons. But let us be realistic. They will not have Executive powers. They may have Executive functions, but there will not be an incipient All Ireland Governmental arrangement. What is possible is an Inter Governmental Conference like the European Council of Ministers or the Anglo-Irish Inter Governmental Conference, but this is an expression of democratically accountable Executive functions, not simple Executive power.”
Lord Alderdice also challenged Sinn Fein to assist the International Body on Decommissioning by undertaking to put them in touch with those in the Republican Movement who have access to the weapons stocks.
He went on to suggest to the Irish Government that there was now a prospect of the creation of an island wide framework for Human Rights, by following the British Incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights. “The Republic will soon be the only signatory in Western Europe not to have incorporated the convention”, he said.
Concluding his remarks John Alderdice said “The aim of the Talks and of all of us is to try to build a community were everyone can feel at home in their own place, and I am increasingly optimistic that we can succeed”.
04 December 1997
Alderdice welcomes Commons' Speaker's meeting with Adams
The Alliance Leader Lord Alderdice has welcomed today’s meeting between the speaker of the House of Commons and Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness.
John Alderdice said:
“We are living through a period of significant and hopefully positive change in the politics of these islands and it may be that both Sinn Fein and Parliament are finding it difficult to know how to deal with these changes.
“On one hand Provisional Sinn Fein, which have had so much given to it in recent times, is finding it hard to understand that they must conform to democracy as well as making demands of it. They have two representatives in a Parliament of almost two thousand and yet are demanding special privileges for themselves. The incessant demands for special attention for Sinn Fein are also evident in other areas.
“At the same time Parliament is not finding it easy to deal with Sinn Fein representatives who instead of boycotting, want to participate, and the speaker is placed in a very awkward position by the speed of these changes. I trust that more progress and more positive developments on all sides will lead to a resolution of this problem and a deepening and strengthening of democracy and the involvement of all sections of the community.”
John Alderdice said:
“We are living through a period of significant and hopefully positive change in the politics of these islands and it may be that both Sinn Fein and Parliament are finding it difficult to know how to deal with these changes.
“On one hand Provisional Sinn Fein, which have had so much given to it in recent times, is finding it hard to understand that they must conform to democracy as well as making demands of it. They have two representatives in a Parliament of almost two thousand and yet are demanding special privileges for themselves. The incessant demands for special attention for Sinn Fein are also evident in other areas.
“At the same time Parliament is not finding it easy to deal with Sinn Fein representatives who instead of boycotting, want to participate, and the speaker is placed in a very awkward position by the speed of these changes. I trust that more progress and more positive developments on all sides will lead to a resolution of this problem and a deepening and strengthening of democracy and the involvement of all sections of the community.”
05 November 1997
Alderdice pays tribute to Spring
Alliance leader, Lord Alderdice, has paid tribute to Dick Spring, who has just announced his resignation as leader of the Irish Labour Party.
Lord Alderdice said, “I have worked with Dick Spring on and off for about ten years now, and find him a man of great ability and energy. I very much enjoyed his wry sense of humour and inevitably found meetings with him interesting, enjoyable and worthwhile. I have the greatest of respect for him and his ability and his loss as Labour leader will undoubtedly be the gain of wherever he chooses to take his future career. I believe that history will judge him not only one of the most influential but also one of the more positive influences in Irish politics in his generation.”
Lord Alderdice said, “I have worked with Dick Spring on and off for about ten years now, and find him a man of great ability and energy. I very much enjoyed his wry sense of humour and inevitably found meetings with him interesting, enjoyable and worthwhile. I have the greatest of respect for him and his ability and his loss as Labour leader will undoubtedly be the gain of wherever he chooses to take his future career. I believe that history will judge him not only one of the most influential but also one of the more positive influences in Irish politics in his generation.”
16 October 1997
Distribute peace money now! Alderdice
Alliance Leader Lord Alderdice has criticised the administration of the Peace and Reconciliation Urban Regeneration Fund.
Nearly £13 million has been allocated toward Urban Regeneration in Belfast and Derry under the Peace and Reconciliation Programme but it appears that more has been allocated to date.
Lord Alderdice said:
“This money was allocated two years ago, in 1995, yet it appears that not a penny has been spent so far. It is extraordinary.
“The Urban Regeneration Fund was designed to improve the environment in run down urban areas. Dozens of good projects have been submitted. Local communities are getting very frustrated that their determination to improve their local environment is being met with the bureaucracy and lethargy which is delaying the distribution of funds.
“I want to see Making Belfast Work and the DoE release funds immediately, at the very least to some of the better applications.
“Movement is needed to stave off community disillusion, and make proper use of the resources.
“Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if we have the 1997-1999 phase of funding available but hadn’t allocated any of the 1995-1997 phase?”
Nearly £13 million has been allocated toward Urban Regeneration in Belfast and Derry under the Peace and Reconciliation Programme but it appears that more has been allocated to date.
Lord Alderdice said:
“This money was allocated two years ago, in 1995, yet it appears that not a penny has been spent so far. It is extraordinary.
“The Urban Regeneration Fund was designed to improve the environment in run down urban areas. Dozens of good projects have been submitted. Local communities are getting very frustrated that their determination to improve their local environment is being met with the bureaucracy and lethargy which is delaying the distribution of funds.
“I want to see Making Belfast Work and the DoE release funds immediately, at the very least to some of the better applications.
“Movement is needed to stave off community disillusion, and make proper use of the resources.
“Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if we have the 1997-1999 phase of funding available but hadn’t allocated any of the 1995-1997 phase?”
06 October 1997
Alderdice slams Sinn Fein stance
Alliance Leader, Lord Alderdice, speaking this morning before going into a meeting with the new International Arms Decommissioning Body, has criticised the Sinn Fein stance on the Talks.
Lord Alderdice said:
“It is clear that the Sinn Fein leadership does not yet realise the kind of democratic process which they have joined. This process is not about smashing the Union, any more than it is about smashing Sinn Fein, and those politicians who talk all the time about smashing things are only displaying their own destructive credentials. These talks are about building a new future, a new stable, peaceful, democratic future, and the only things which will be smashed are the weapons of mass destruction which have claimed so many lives. It is to constructively negotiate that end that we are meeting this morning with the International Decommissioning Body.”
Lord Alderdice said:
“It is clear that the Sinn Fein leadership does not yet realise the kind of democratic process which they have joined. This process is not about smashing the Union, any more than it is about smashing Sinn Fein, and those politicians who talk all the time about smashing things are only displaying their own destructive credentials. These talks are about building a new future, a new stable, peaceful, democratic future, and the only things which will be smashed are the weapons of mass destruction which have claimed so many lives. It is to constructively negotiate that end that we are meeting this morning with the International Decommissioning Body.”
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