Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’? Flashcards
Explain the current political situation in Northern Ireland (2024) - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
Northern Ireland currently has no functioning legislature or Executive as the DUP have refused to take their seats in protest against Brexit arrangements in NIR. Sinn Fein would be the legislature’s largest party following NIR’s most recent elections
What are Unionists/Loyalists? What are Nationalists/Republicans? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
Unionists/Loyalists - those that have a British identity and wish to be part of the UK. Tend to be Protestant.
Nationalists/Republicans - those that have a strong Irish identity, supporting a unified Ireland. Tend to be Catholic.
When was the Irish Free State proclaimed? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
The Irish Free State (later the Republic of Ireland) was proclaimed in 1921.
Following the creation of the Irish Free State by the Anglo-Irish Treaty, what political bodies existed in NIR? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
The Anglo-Irish Treaty created a Protestant, Loyalist Parliament in the North of Ireland, intended to counteract the Catholicism of the South.
What actions by the British Government in NIR resulted in NIR being termed ‘Britain’s last colony’? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
The British Government partaking in state-sponsored killings, internment schemes, a heavy military presence, increase in stop and search and abolitions of trial by jury resulted in it being termed ‘Britain’s last colony’.
What was the Provisional IRA? What was their importance to peace talks leading up to the Good Friday Agreement? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
The Provisional IRA was the militant wing of Sinn Fein, often engaging in violent terrorist acts against British soldiers and loyalist communities. They were included in peace talks in the 1990s by John Major and then Tony Blair to forge a dialogue between all sides that could lead to peace.
In the lead up to the Good Friday Agreement, how did the context around the peace process change? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
In the lead up to the GFA, the IRA had called a ceasefire in NIR, Blair had been elected on the promise of resolving NIR, the USA were showing greater involvement and people were becoming weary of the conflict of the Troubles.
What were the 3 main principles upon which the Northern Ireland peace process was based? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
- Power Sharing
- Greater North/Republic Irish cooperation
- Greater Ireland/UK cooperation
How does the Northern Ireland Executive operate? How is the legislature formed? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
NIR’s Executive is made up of individuals from all parties in a proportional manner, drawn from the legislature. The FM and DFM must each be in post for either role to exist. The resignation of one triggers the resignation of the other.
NIR’s legislature is proportionally elected using a preference system, meaning that all political groups achieve representation and forces consensus.
What 2 contentious issues have been legislated upon by the WM government due to conflict over these in the NIR Assembly? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
NIR has had legislation passed by direct rule on abortion and same-sex marriage to permit these
What developments in NIR politics have lead to questions over the union’s future? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
It is accepted that should there be a decisive shift in public opinion towards a majority favouring Irish unification, then a border poll should be held. This may be accelerating under an increase in Sinn Fein support in NIR, Brexit pressures and the lack of a functioning assembly.
How does the legacy of the Troubles still cause issues in NIR? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
NIR is still bitterly divided between communities on Loyalist and Republican sides (although not so much as before). There are also issues over the release of prisoners following the peace process and the lack of prosecutions over murders committed in the Troubles on all sides.
How has Brexit created issues over Northern Ireland? How has the Windsor Framework ameliorated these? - Is Northern Ireland ‘A Place Apart’?
Brexit created a hard border for goods in the Irish Sea, placing a division in the UK’s internal market, much to the anger of Unionists. The DUP left the NIR Executive in protest.
The Windsor Framework has made it so that goods moving into Northern Ireland but not on to either the UK or EU will not require to be checked, as well as allowing Stormont to express concerns over EU law that would impact NIR.
