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First Steps to Change in North-South Co-OperationSource: Fortnight, No. 444 (May, 2006), p. 3Published by: Fortnight Publications Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25561682 .

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D leader

First steps to

change in North

Soulth con-operation The shape of the two governments approach to the promised step-change in

North-South co-operation emerged without much publicity in the communique of the Inter-Governmental Conference which met last week. The operation is being handled by a series of official working groups, rather like those that were set in place in the run-up to the

Anglo Irish Agreement in 1985. The focus, thus far, is on cross-border co operation on a pragmatic basis. There is to be active infra-structural planning on roads and other services, especially in the

Northwest where there is the best chance of securing new European structural funding. There is to be more active development of shared plans for electricity generation, including renewable sources. And there is already some progress to report on more down to earth matters, like bird flu and mobile telephone roaming charges. Another interesting element is the involvement of leaders of the business community rather than politicians in the process.

As to the Assembly and the Executive there are a few more straws in the wind.

The communique renews the commitment of the two governments to restore the institutions provided for in the Good Friday Agreement. But it includes the telling phrase to the greatest extent possible and instead of the reference to both communities throughout the

Agreement it talks of the benefits for all communities . Let us hope that this indicates a move by the governments towards a recognition of the importance of those who are not tied to either main community in Northern Ireland and the

growing number of migrant workers and immigrants.

On all these matters the two governments might take a leaf out of the business management approach. If a product or service is not selling, you do not approach consumers with renewed advertising campaigns or take it or leave it threats without making changes to what is on offer. You make improvements to the product or service to

make it more attractive. That is what is needed to make the structures proposed under the Agreement more attractive and stable.

There is a role in this for the centre parties. They still represent roughly half of the electorate. With a renewed focus on co-operation in restoring the power sharing structures they could regain the initiative from Sinn F in and the DUP. The

Ulster Unionists and the SDLP signally failed to put joint pressure on Sinn F in and the DUP during the initial years of power-sharing under the Agreement. If they want to regain the initiative they need to get together and offer the electorate a

better prospect of shared and stable government than the one under the leadership of the DUP and Sinn F in. The contributions in this issue from the Ulster

Unionists, the SDLP and Alliance are less than encouraging. They need to think

more positively on how they can get together to make the essentials of the

Agreement work. They might usefully focus their attention on the success of the Policing Board which is now the only working power-sharing institution and one which does not require the participation of all parties.

Guest Arts Editor Maureen Boyle is a teacher, writer and bookseller.

Contributors Jean Bleakney is a poet who is currently

working_on her third collection of poetry for Lagan Piress.

Stephen Bloomer is Research and Publications Officer at Interaction Belfast.

Olive Broderick is a poet and founder member of the Write Down! Writers' group based in Downpatrick.

Paul Connolly works in the Architects' Department of the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

Aaron Edwards is a PhD student in the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, Queen's University Belfast.

Sean Farren is MLA for North Antrim and SDLP senior negotiator.

David Ford is the Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.

Miriam Gamble is a post-graduate research student of English at Queens University.

Graham Gudgin is an economic commentator and a director of Regional Forecasts Ltd.

Gary Kent is a j'ournalist and director of Labour Friends of Iraq.

John Knowles is a poet and librarian in the Law Library in Queens.

Alan McFarland is Ulster Unionist chief negotiator.

Anthony McIntyre runs The Blanket website.

Peter McLoughlin is a Research Fellow at ARK (Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive) at Queen's University Belfast.

Maria McManus a poet and playwright.

Paul Maddern is a poet.

Rory Mallon is a student at QUB.

Maria McManus a poet and playwright.

Les Reid is Chair of the Belfast Humanist Group and an ex-teacher. He has written several articles for Philosophy Now.

Neil Southern writes on religion and politics. St. P Ce O xford . l n 4

LEADER FORTNIGHT MAY 2006 PAGE 3

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