1998 Good friday agreement

Question 1

what are the 4 agreements

Answer 1

• Good friday agreement 1998
• St andrews agreement 2006
• Hillsborough agreement 2010
• Stormont house agreement 2014
• Fresh start/Shared future 2015

Question 2

What are the four key features of Consociationalism of the GFA

Answer 2

• Power sharing: There must be a power-sharing coalition government to make sure both communities have a role in government
• Proportional electoral system: To try guarantee as fair representational of all groups as possible
• Segmental autonomy: Cultural equality
• Mutual veto: a method to make sure that important legislation as the support of both communities or it cant go through

Question 3

What did the GFA state

Answer 3

If at a future date there was a majority in the favour of a United Ireland then the british government will abide this and put into law.

It also allowed for NI citizens to identify as either British or Irish or both as layed out in section 1

Question 4

What were the three strands of the GFA

Answer 4

Strand 1- Lays out the guidelines for the democratic devolved institutions in NI

Strand 2- North-South ministerial council (NSMC) To deal with relations within the island of Ireland

Strand 3- British-Irish council to deal with relations in the british Isles. this was seen as making devolution more palatable to unionists as each government can come together on matters of concern to remove the sense of a loss of British identity.

Question 5

What were the main features of the GFA 1.

Answer 5

1. A three strand approach to deliver peace
2. Strand 1
3. Parliament was elected using PR-STV and to have 108 MLAs
4. It was to be headed by an executive committee with a first and deputy first minister
5. The executive committee would be responsible for suggesting new laws and running the country daily as well as spending the budget allocation

Question 6

What were the main features of the GFA 2.

Answer 6

6. The first minister and deputy first minister roles were co-equal one cant exist without the other.
7. The assembly has normal powers associated with a parliament eg; legislate, scrutinise, represent
8. The assembly has a range of powers at their disposal
9. Only matters that are devolved can be legislated for at stormont other matters remain under the control of Westminster

Question 7

What were the main features of the GFA 3.

Answer 7

10. There are safeguards built into the system reflection the consociational model of democracy to make sure that both sides of the community feel protected eg: the requirement for cross-community voting on ey decisions
11. Early release of prisoners, Reform the RUC and decommissioning of all parliamentary weapons

Question 8

was the GFA supported

Answer 8

In the ROI it received a 94.4% favour.

In NI it received 71% favour

The DUP faced the most opposition as well as the UUP with 6 out of ten UUP Westminster MPs rejecting it with Peter Weir leaving the UUP and joining the DUP.

Question 9

Why did Unionists object the GFA

Answer 9

1. They thought it would destroy the union with Britain
2. It would allow SF into government before decommissioning of arms took place
3. It would allow for the early release of prisoners
4. It had provisions for future reform of the RUC and the creation of a new policing service

Question 10

When was power devolved to NI

Answer 10

it was devolved in May 2000 but the support for the UUP was lessened as David Trimble was losing as party leader causing a rise in loyalist feuds as well as Denis Donaldson head of SF administration was arrested with possession of documents likely to be of use for terrorists.

Due to this the UUP reacted to a ‘stormontgate and threatened to withdraw from the executive unless SF was removed.

due to this Devolution as suspended in october 2002