The Good Friday agreement
As agreed to on April 10, 1998 by the various parties involved in the conflict in Northern Ireland, the Good Friday agreement was subsequently endorsed by referendums on May 22, 1998 by large majorities in the North and South of Ireland. The basic components:
Reunification: The six-county North can be reunified with the Republic in the south if majorities in both the North and the South vote to do so. One vote can take place every seven years. The Irish Republic in the South will change its constitutional claim to the six counties in the North.
The Assembly: A new 108 member Northern Ireland Assembly is set up with elected representatives from all parties who agree to keep the ceasefire in place. Legislative and executive power will be devolved from Great Britain and assumed by the Assembly. The Executive is a multi-party body with a First Minister, Deputy First Minister and up to ten Ministers with departmental responsibilities. All Assembly members take a "pledge of office" to pursue non-violent and democratic means that promote equality and prevent discrimination.
On June 25, 1998, elections were held for Assembly seats. The assembly first met in September. Unionist (loyalist) parties took 53 seats and nationalist parties took 42 seats. Independent parties hold 13 seats. The "yes" (to the agreement) constituency holds 80 seats in the Assembly while the "no" constituency holds 28 seats.
North/South Council: The Executive of the Assembly will establish a formal relationship with the Irish Parliament in the South "to develop consultation, cooperation and action within the island of Ireland." Some of the areas of cooperation will include: Agriculture; Education; Transport; the Environment; Social Welfare and Health.
Equality agenda: All parties agree to respect human rights, civil rights, religious liberties and to pursue equal opportunity in a new society free from sectarian harassment. Equal opportunity is guaranteed in all social and economic activity regardless of class, creed, disability, gender or ethnicity.
Decommissioning: Parties to the agreement will "use any influence they may have" to achieve the disarmament of paramilitary groups within two years from May 22, 1998. The agreement does not establish decommissioning as a pre-condition to setting up other institutions under the agreement.
Demilitarization: The British government will demilitarize the region "to levels compatible with a normal peaceful society." The removal of emergency powers is also a key strategy during this process.
New Police Force: A new non-sectarian police force will be created that will be "capable of attracting and sustaining support from the community as a whole."
Political Prisoners: Paramilitary groups who maintain a "complete and unequivocal ceasefire" will have their prisoners released from prison within two years from May 22, 1998. "Reintegration" of prisoners is to include employment assistance, education and/or retraining skills.
Civic Forum: A Civic Forum will be established to act as a consultative mechanism to address social, economic and cultural issues.
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