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Cross-border Cooperation coming out of conflict : the Northern Ireland Experience

Cross-border Cooperation coming out of conflict : the Northern Ireland Experience. Andy Pollak Former Director, The Centre for Cross Border Studies. The Northern Ireland conflict. 1968-1998 conflict, over 3,500 people killed

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Cross-border Cooperation coming out of conflict : the Northern Ireland Experience

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  1. Cross-border Cooperation coming out of conflict : the Northern Ireland Experience Andy PollakFormer Director, The Centre for Cross Border Studies

  2. The Northern Ireland conflict 1968-1998 conflict, over 3,500 people killed Three protagonists: British security forces, IRA (seeking British withdrawal and Irish unity), loyalist (pro-British) paramilitaries Border with (Republic of) Ireland a central issue Mediation in 1990s by Irish, British and US governments

  3. 1998 Belfast Agreement BROUGHT CONFLICT TO AN END: 3 STRANDS • Internal power-sharing government between IRA’s political wing (Sinn Fein) and (pro-British) Unionists • East-West: institutionalising British-Irish relations • North-South: institutionalising relations and establishing cooperation bodies between Northern Ireland and Ireland

  4. Rev. Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness N. Ireland First Minister and Deputy First Minister

  5. North/South institutions • Overseeing North South Ministerial Council (Ministers and officials from both Irish jurisdictions) • Practical areas of cooperation: trade and business development, EU funding, tourism, marine management, inland waterways, health services etc. • Relations between Ireland and Northern Ireland now better than at any time for over 90 years

  6. North South Ministerial Council

  7. EU funding and NGOs • EU funding crucial to N.Ireland peace process • Over €2 billion granted since 1990s • Hundreds of cross-community (Protestant-Catholic) and cross-border non-governmental organisations • Centre for Cross Border Studies: joint research/development in health, education, the economy, ICT, public administration, planning, citizens information, impact assessment

  8. Cooperative transnational space EU seeks to ‘de-territorialise the Northern Ireland conflict, to build cross-border networks of cooperation around issues of common interest. In this sense, it seeks to move beyond bounded territory to the creation of a cooperative transnational space.’ (O’Dowd and McCall)

  9. Peace Bridge Derry – June 2012

  10. The future • Peacebuilding a slow, expensive process • Cross-border cooperation works slowly as part of this process – needs inter-governmental structures and funding • International financial crisis means Northern Ireland and cross-border cooperation between Ireland and Northern Ireland no longer high on policy agenda • Continuing problem of communal/religious sectarianism in Northern Ireland

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