Sinn Féin must somehow come to terms with the policing issue, which I knew was always going to be the most difficult of all. How can Gerry Adams look the family of Pat Finucane in the eye and tell them that all the bad old days are truly over, that all bad attitudes and bad individuals, bad laws and bad systems, have been removed and that a young Finucane could with honor and pride now join the police and protect the rights of all the people in the North of Ireland?

Yet if Sinn Féin remains aloof from the police, there will never be an acceptable police service in the North, because the police will never fully change until Sinn Féin forces that change by its active participation. I don’t know how Gerry Adams does all that has to be done. But I do know there is not another man or woman on the island of Ireland who can do it.

The Belfast republicans who have taken to jeering at the McCartneys for turning to Bush as their champion should reflect on this. Yes, he is an international menace to freedom, democracy and human rights. He’s also the most powerful man in the world and Gerry Adams would have been happy to shake his hand – again – had he been asked. Judge Cory called collusion, among other things, “conniving with those who committed the murder by turning a blind eye”. That applies equally to the republican movement’s behaviour in relation to the McCartney murder.

She also notes the relative silence over the possible involvement of the LVF in the suspected murder of a young Catholic girl Lisa Dorrian:

“Speculation isn’t helpful,” the detective in charge said. “What we want to deal with is facts and evidence.”

To sign off she adds:

The LVF is closely bound up with the UDA which was closely bound up with the British intelligence services when it murdered Pat Finucane. If it is still involved in murder, we need to know, just as we need to know about the IRA’s role in the McCartney case and the British government’s in the Finucane case. We all need to emulate Judge Cory’s grandson. We need to make a lot of noise.

Almost seven years since the accord was ratified by referendum, the study finds 85 per cent of Protestants feel nationalists got the best of the deal. But the report from the Economic and Social Research Institute shows most Catholics think unionists and nationalists were treated equally. The research also shows no Protestants believe the accord benefited unionists - a drop from 5 per cent in 1998.

It is inevitable that in the wake of such a ghastly slaying people would intervervene to take advantage of their plight to pursue Sinn Féin. That does not make the criticisms of Sinn Féin that they voice any less forceful. The criticisms of Sinn Féin are no less valid because they come from a family that has been gravely wronged. The plain fact of the matter is that the republican movement will have to clean up the mess. There is no other solution.

Republicans created this terrible situation and they must sort it out. It is just as terrible as the situation that they created at Warrington, perhaps not quite as terrible as the situation they created on the Shankill Road in the early 1990s, but it must be dealt with nonetheless. The republican movement is directly responsible for this slaughter and it must take responsibility for dealing with it. There is no alternative. The republican movement created the crime, then tried to hide it and then, later failed to deal with it: it alone must take the rap.

The general point the article makes on the Agreement, without much detail of figures, is that -

While there is growing disillusionment among northern Protestants with the agreement and a dominant view that it has benefited nationalists more, there is a growing perception among Catholics that nationalists have benefited better from the agreement.

The remaining paragraphs deal with, in the words of Patsy McGarry, Irish Times Religious Affairs correspondent, “family and sexual morality” - the findings seem to be an indicator of at least one form of unity on this island.

It is on issues of family and sexual morality that Catholics and Protestants on the island find most common ground. Both have deeply held views against abortion, with opposition highest among regular Church attenders.

Of the European countries surveyed, only Malta opposes abortion more strongly.

Where homosexuality is concerned, both communities hold increasingly tolerant views and are at the mid-range among European countries.

Where most family/sexual morality related issues are concerned, Catholics and Protestants on the island have “experienced a substantial shift towards the liberal positions common in most European countries”.[emphasis added]

But “the family is still as highly valued as in the past, and marital infidelity is still widely disapproved of”.

Yet “unmarried parenthood has become more widely accepted, though majorities still regard joint parenthood as better for children’s welfare. Opposition to abortion and homosexuality has declined, but is still high, especially among Catholics in the case of abortion, and among Protestants in the case of homosexuality”.

The study concludes that “on all the major issues, the Republic and Northern Ireland, and Protestants and Catholics within both parts of Ireland, are closer to each other than to most other national populations in Europe”.

It was “particularly notable that Northern Ireland as a whole, and Protestants within Northern Ireland, are quite at a remove from Britain on these issues”.[emphasis added]

The study itself doesn’t appear to be online yet.. although the ESRI site has it listed for publication today.  (We’ll be looking to see the actual wording of the question.)

In the meantime here are the relevant figures from the Irish Times’ Religious Affairs correspondent, Patsy McGarry -

More Catholics in the South favour an independent Northern Ireland than do Protestants in the South. Where Catholics are concerned, the figure is almost a third, at 32.5 per cent, while for southern Protestants it is less than a quarter, at 23.3 per cent.

...

Among southern Catholics, 54.9 per cent favour a united Ireland, while 9.1 per cent believe the North should remain in the UK. Among Protestants in the South 41.9 per cent favour a united Ireland, with 23.3 per cent believing the North should remain in the UK.

In the North, 65 per cent of Catholics want a united Ireland. But 21.1 per cent believe it should remain in the UK, with 11.2 per cent favouring an independent Northern Ireland.

Among northern Protestants an overwhelming 87.7 per cent believe Northern Ireland should remain in the UK, with 5.1 per cent favouring an independent Northern Ireland. Only 3.8 per cent favour a united Ireland.

The Irish Times report, goes on to say -

This[an “increasingly widespread acceptance of an Irish identity among the Protestant population in the Republic”] “has been accompanied by a growing sense of distance from northern Protestants and a rejection by southern Protestants of their portrayal by their northern co-religionists as an oppressed minority”. By the mid-1990s Protestants in the South were said to have far more in common with their Catholic fellow citizens than with their northern co-religionists.

A European Values Survey 1999-2000 found that 99 per cent of southern Catholics were “very/quite proud” to be citizens of the Republic while such figures for Protestants in the Republic was 93 per cent. Figures for the “very proud” among all citizens of the Republic have soared since the arrival of the Celtic Tiger, rising from 55 per cent in 1994 to 71 per cent in 2003.

The irrepressible Iain Dowie reckons Northern Ireland has a chance:

Latvia’s miraculous qualification for Euro 2004 is a model for the likes of Northern Ireland. ‘Absolutely,’ enthuses Dowie. ‘There’s no question we can get to the finals of a tournament, although it’s a difficult task and I do think Lawrie Sanchez needs a better group of players. This [qualifying] group is very good for us because of the massive interest it is generating in Northern Ireland. I never got the chance to play against England and people tell me they are going to turn part of Manchester into a corner of Belfast on the weekend. Hopefully the buzz can re-establish some passion and enthusiasm and boost the finances to help improve future generations.’

So would he consider taking the Northern Ireland post one day? ‘It is a very difficult job, but what would be attractive is the idea of being able to shape the football set-up from top to bottom, to create the environment to be able to make a difference,’ he says.

For a fan’s eye view, check out Our Wee Country.

The IRA has spelt out its position in relation to the killing of Robert McCartney. It was wrong, it was murder, it was a crime. But it was not carried out by the IRA, nor was it carried out on behalf of the IRA. The IRA moved quickly to deal with those involved. We have tried to assist in whatever way we can. Unfortunately, it would appear that no matter what we do it will never be enough for some.

The crime is unresolved, and may remain so as long as the Republican movement witholds consent for the PSNI to come into their areas to actively investigate the crime.

Does this mean that the case is effectly closed?

The following is the full text of the IRA Easter message as published in today’s issue of An Phoblacht:

“On this, the 89th anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916, we remember the men and women of every generation who have given their lives in the struggle for Irish freedom.

The leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann extends solidarity to the families of our comrades who have fallen during this phase of the struggle. We remember those comrades with honour and pride.

We send solidarity to our Volunteers and to our friends and supporters at home and abroad.

We think of our imprisoned comrades and their families at this time also.

Over ten years ago, the leadership of the IRA declared a complete cessation of military operations. We did so to enhance the development of the Irish peace process.

>From then until now we have, on a number of occasions, demonstrated our continuing support for this process.

At times of significant crisis or political impasse, we have taken initiatives to move the situation forward.

Our approach has been premised on the belief that the achievement of a just and lasting peace requires constant forward momentum in the peace process.

For the past two years, the peace process has been locked in stalemate and has slipped backwards into deepening crisis.

During that period, specifically in October 2003 and in December 2004, we agreed to significant initiatives as part of an agreement to break the logjam. On each occasion, other parties reneged on their commitments.

An unprecedented opportunity to transform the situation on the island of Ireland was thrown away by rejectionist unionism, aided and abetted by the two governments.

The DUP attempted to turn the initiative of December 2004 into a humiliation of the IRA. The concerted efforts of both governments since then to undermine the integrity of our cause, by seeking to criminalise the republican struggle, is clear evidence that our opponents remain fixated with the objective of defeating republicans rather than developing the peace process.

The sustained campaign directed against the republican people over recent months is nothing new. We have seen and heard it all before.

Those who opted to follow the Thatcher path will not succeed.

Our patriot dead are not criminals. We are not criminals.

Republican men and women suffered deprivation and torture to defeat attempts to criminalise our struggle. Ten of our comrades endured the agony of hunger strike and died defeating the criminalisation strategy.

We will not betray their courage by tolerating criminality within our own ranks. We will not allow our opponents to further their own petty self-interests by levelling false allegations against Óglaigh na hÉireann.

The IRA has spelt out its position in relation to the killing of Robert McCartney. It was wrong, it was murder, it was a crime. But it was not carried out by the IRA, nor was it carried out on behalf of the IRA.

The IRA moved quickly to deal with those involved. We have tried to assist in whatever way we can. Unfortunately, it would appear that no matter what we do it will never be enough for some.

Those in the political and media establishments who have been so quick to jump on the bandwagon have again laid bare their own hypocrisy.

This causes justifiable resentment among republicans. But it must not cloud the issue. Óglaigh na hÉireann expects the highest standards of conduct from our Volunteers.

Struggle requires sacrifice and discipline. It promises hardship and suffering. Our fallen comrades rose to those challenges and met them head on.

The discipline and commitment of our Volunteers and the wider republican base have been the backbone of our struggle. In these testing times, that steadfastness and determination are needed more and more.

We salute you and urge you to remain strong and united.

The crisis in the peace process and the reinvigorated attempts to criminalise us have not diminished in any way our determination to pursue and achieve our republican objectives.

Irish unity and independence provides the best context for the people of this island to live together in harmony.

The primary responsibility now rests with the two governments.

They must demonstrate their commitment to a lasting peace.

Pandering to the demands of those who are opposed change is not the way forward.”

P O’Neill,
Irish Republican Publicity Bureau
Dublin

Conservative spokesman Lord Glentoran continued: “It is proven when a government with a majority of 200 in the Commons could only get its legislation with a majority of five, supported by Scottish MPs to whom it didn’t apply. I believe that it would be wrong of this government, it would be overbearing and arrogant for Mr Gardiner MP (Barry Gardiner, Northern Ireland Under Secretary) to say we are going to enforce this on Northern Ireland now come what may.”

All this comes after an apology from a senior MP to the people of Northern Ireland after 44 Labour MPs voted in support of tuition fees for students here. Last year, they all voted against the introduction of these fees in England.

More of this and unionists might start developing a republican streak.

(I think the debate will probably be here tomorrow. Let me know if the link needs changing later.)

Anyone know why the Review of Public Administration website is down? Has it moved?