Bertie Ahern, the former Irish Prime Minister who played a crucial role in brokering the Good Friday Agreement, is urging the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to consider a compromise to end the current Stormont stand-off in Northern Ireland. The DUP has been at odds with Sinn Féin, the largest nationalist party in Northern Ireland, over a number of issues, including Irish language provisions, same-sex marriage and dealing with the legacy of the Troubles. Ahern is urging both parties to find common ground and work towards a resolution in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland.
Former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has described the absence of power sharing in Northern Ireland as “very unsatisfactory” and has urged the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to reach a compromise. Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Ahern praised the efforts of UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak to restore devolved institutions, arguing that it had been “very difficult” for Dublin to deal with Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Brexit negotiations.
Ahern made these comments during commemorations marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The historic peace deal, of which Ahern was one of the architects, largely signalled an end to the deadly violence of the Troubles and established power sharing. However, the institutions are currently suspended due to a boycott by the DUP against the post-Brexit trading arrangements, which created economic barriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
The UK and Brussels agreed on a revamped deal known as the Windsor Framework, aimed at tackling the difficulties caused by the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol. However, the DUP argues that the new agreement still leaves the region subject to EU rules. These disagreements meant that there was no functioning administration during the recent visit by US President Joe Biden, which Ahern described as a “big own goal”.
Ahern stressed the importance of compromise in politics, stating that “You do not make much progress in politics if you don’t do that”. He called out the DUP’s rigid stance as neither tenable nor sustainable and not in the interests of the people of Northern Ireland. He emphasised that there are huge issues in Northern Ireland, as there are everywhere else, and that the current state of affairs is far from satisfactory.
Comparing the approaches of Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson, Ahern spoke positively of Sunak’s invigorated efforts to get everything working in Northern Ireland. He contrasted this with the difficulties the Republic of Ireland had experienced while dealing with Boris Johnson.
The Good Friday Agreement conference, which marks 25 years since the agreement’s establishment, begins on Monday in Belfast. It will host a variety of high-profile speakers, including Rishi Sunak, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, former US Senator George Mitchell, and Bill Clinton, who was US President in 1998.
Ahern’s comments came shortly after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to Belfast, where he met with the Northern Ireland Executive and discussed the NI Protocol. Johnson emphasised that the UK government was committed to finding pragmatic solutions to the problems caused by the protocol, and that progress was being made. Despite this, the DUP continues to resist any form of compromise, insisting on the removal of the protocol altogether.
Northern Ireland has faced significant challenges in recent years, particularly in relation to Brexit negotiations and the Covid-19 pandemic. The ongoing lack of power sharing between parties in Stormont only adds to these challenges, highlighting the need for political leaders to find common ground in order to move forward. As Bertie Ahern emphasised, compromise is key if progress is to be made.
