Notes: Stormont

Visit to Stormont Castle (Parliament Building) on Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 1 PM

-------------------------
History Presentation Notes

Northern Ireland Assembly | Northern Ireland Parliament
1932-72 home of unionist governments
Only unionists in power here
Civil unrest
1972 - GB closed building until 1998
April 1998 - Belfast / Good Friday Agreement
May 1998 - Vote passed on 71%
June 1998 - First Election
Oct 2002 - Assembly is suspended by GB
November 2003 - second election
October 2006 - St Andrews Agreement
Good Friday agreement for slow learners
Money from S Ireland and UK
May 8th 2007 - Assembly is restored

Belfast / Good Friday Agreement
Equal place in government, and representation
Minister and Deputy must each be Loyalist and Unionist, both have equal power
Cooperation between NI and ROI, equal cooperation between NI and UK
Issues:
- Decommissioning
- Policing: Patent reported on Policing in NI
- Prisoners: All released, should have record removed?
- Human rights

Devolution - Transfer of power from central power to regional government
Universally wanted
Allows decisions to be made

Central government remains in control ever

Assembly
108 elected members and speakers (MLAs)
18 elected to Westminster
Committees do work outside assembly meetings
Speaker has no vote

-----------------------------------
Meetings with Party Representatives

Wilson - NI Green Party
First Elected to NI
Green issues are the issues of the next generation, every other European government has held Green members
Last time all Sectarian Issues, Now it is Green Issues
Borders do not matter when the whole world it in trouble

When arrive at Stormont need to designate: Unionist / Loyalist
W/o designating, can not vote on some things
This institutionalizes the division

Clive McFarlin
Policy Advisor for DUP, Local Councilor
DUP wants to stay with UK but has always wanted to have own government

Tommy Gahliger, SDLP
SDLP - View unite people through ideas, not violence
(More of a middle class party than SF)

Anna Low, Alliance Party
First Chinese background (and woman) to be elected to European government
Aliance party is inclusive of all peoples in NI
1960's - Chinese community started to come to NI, in 80's became largest ethnic group. Over time became Migrant workers, now Polish. With many other groups
10,000 Chinese here now, into 3rd generation, 1st stuck to catering, Chinese food restaurants, not moved beyond.
She ran for South Belfast, region most winnable for a person of a ethnic minority
3rd elected out of 6 MLA for S. Belfast
People in that region wanted Alliance, gave 1 vote