‘Bill of Rights is the only platform on which to build sustainable government’ by Declan Kearney

The undermining of the Good Friday Agreement by successive British governments – and particularly by the Tories since 2010 – has contributed directly to the current political crisis

FIFTY YEARS AGO, the civil rights campaign was launched in the North of Ireland. Its modest demands to secure equal rights for all citizens were met with violence and political opposition.

The continued denial of equality and rights was addressed by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements.

Good Friday Agreement

The Good Friday Agreement set down fundamental benchmarks for political progress which included the need for a power-sharing and partnership government, equality provisions, parity of esteem for all political and cultural identities, and recognition of the rights for all citizens to live free from sectarian harassment.

The Good Friday Agreement also required the British Government to legislate for a Bill of Rights to enshrine rights supplementary to those in the European Convention of Human Rights in recognition of the particular circumstances of the North.

However, the full transformative potential of the Good Friday Agreement has been systematically frustrated due to opposition from political unionism and repeated failures by the British Government to fulfill its obligations, such as implementation of a Bill of Rights.

The refusal to legislate for a Bill of Rights, an Irish Language Act and marriage equality has now made these into totemic issues in this denial of democracy.

The undermining of the Good Friday Agreement by successive British governments – and particularly by the Tories since 2010 – has contributed directly to the current political crisis.

The DUP’s rejection of the rights and equality agenda led directly to the collapse of the political institutions in January this year.

That has now been compounded by the anti-equality alliance formalised by the Tory/DUP deal struck after the Westminster election and their joint support for the reckless Brexit agenda against the wishes of the majority of voters in the North.

Language rights, marriage rights and the rights of families to have coroner’s inquests are protected in England, Scotland, Wales and the rest of Ireland.

Implementation of these, and a Bill of Rights itself, are key to resolving our political crisis.

They represent the essential requirements of a rights-based society and for re-establishing the political institutions on a credible and sustainable basis.

ECHR

A Bill of Rights would be premised upon the European Convention of Human Rights and underpin existing legislation and enshrine all of the protections and mechanisms proposed by the Good Friday Agreement into a cohesive legislative framework.

It would build important legislative protections for all citizens and sections of society in the North – regardless of creed, culture, class, political opinion or sexual orientation.

This would extend to the language, marriage and other rights being denied here and which are taken for granted elsewhere in other parts of these islands.

Establishment of a Bill of Rights would guarantee workers’ and employment protections, maternity, paternity and gender rights.

The ethos of a Bill of Rights would entrench democratic and cultural rights, civil and religious liberties, and protect the rights of citizens with disabilities, women, young and elderly people, ethnic minority groups and others within our society.

Sinn Féin believes that anti-sectarianism must be central to a rights-based society in the North.

We have proposed there should be a clear legal definition of sectarianism as a hate crime enshrined within legislation. This should also be given expression within a Bill of Rights.

Human Rights Act

The assault on democratic rights from the British Tory Government’s intention to dismantle the Human Rights Act in Britain underscores the urgency of a freestanding Bill of Rights being implemented in the North as a firewall to protect the rights of citizens here.

Rights and equality belong to everyone in our society.

A Bill of Rights is essential to ensure no citizen or section of our society is ever again put to the back of the bus.

It is crucial to completing the process of democratic transformation envisaged by the Good Friday Agreement.

All of us have a stake in realising that ambition.

With a fourth round of talks on re-establishing the political institutions planned, it is vital that all sections and sectors of society intensify our efforts to ensure a Bill of Rights is finally achieved.

20 Responses to ‘Bill of Rights is the only platform on which to build sustainable government’ by Declan Kearney

  1. gaz August 2, 2017 at 12:34 pm #

    Declan-Do you support the rights of the majority of people in “The North” aka Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom?

    • emmet August 2, 2017 at 12:57 pm #

      The Irish nation should determine what happens- we should never have selected an artificial region to get the option to set up a statelet. Gaz do you accept the rights of the majority of Derry, Fermanagh, Down and Armagh to return to be part of Ireland?

      • huge Celt. August 2, 2017 at 2:27 pm #

        What have the good people of Tyrone done to earn your ire?

  2. Brian Patterson August 2, 2017 at 12:40 pm #

    Funny the Provos used to sneer at the Officials for demanding a bill of rights.

    • huge Celt. August 2, 2017 at 3:55 pm #

      I’m.wondering how a Bill of Rights would have stopped the RHI scandal, the thing that actually collapsed the Executive.

      * It certainly can’t be the withdrawal of the £50k Liofa grant, because when Carole Ni Chulain cut the Irish Language budget in 2014, there wasn’t a murmur of protest from Sinn Fein.

      “Oppose all cuts…..unless they are ours”

  3. Tam August 2, 2017 at 1:04 pm #

    Declan’s telling porkie pies: The Good Friday Agreement did not require the British Government to legislate for a Bill of Rights to enshrine rights supplementary to those in the European Convention of Human Rights in recognition of the particular circumstances of the North.

    Talking of the GFA though, what’s Declan’s party doing about the commitment to promote integrated education?

  4. fiosrach August 2, 2017 at 1:35 pm #

    Are they not offering financial and practical help to the naoiscoileanna and bunscoileanna to integrate gaeilgeóirí and béarlóirí? Or are you referring to colour or sexual orientation?

    • huge Celt. August 2, 2017 at 2:47 pm #

      @ Fiosrach.

      Now, now, lets not be a smart -arse. You know perfectly well that Tam is referring to Integrated Education between Catholic and Protestant children.

      At the signing of the GFA, a miserly 6% of children were educated together.
      In the 20 years that have passed, a whole generation, that figure has surged to a magnificent 7%.
      By my reckoning, it will be the year 2440 before a majority of kids (51%) are educated alongside people from the other community.
      And Sinn Fein held the Education Ministry throughout this time so there’s no excuses.

      When will Sinn Fein ever challenge the power of the Catholic Church?

      • Jude Collins August 2, 2017 at 2:54 pm #

        I blame the parents. They should be FORCED to send their children to integrated schools…

        • huge Celt. August 2, 2017 at 4:06 pm #

          Well, it’s not quite that simple, is it Jude.

          The money needs to be there – the right projects need to be there – and the political will needs to be there.

          The Brits have committed the money (damn those generous Brits!)…..and then it languished in a dysfunctional Stormont account gathering dust.
          The DUP then sent £47 million back.
          And it was only then that Sinn Fein screamed “Foul”.
          It’s all predictable stuff.

          Thankfully, the £50 million has now been dusted off, and been re-gifted to us as new money from our Tory/DUP overlords.

          In the meantime, an Integrated Gaelscoil project in Derry are scratching their heads wondering what they have to do to get some support….

          Don’t worry.
          It’s only children’s education.
          Nothing important.

          Flegs.

      • fiosrach August 2, 2017 at 5:16 pm #

        Some people see Integrated education as British education. Maybe that’s why only a miserly 7% support it in the six counties. Anyway what’s wrong with segregated education? Hasn’t it served us well for 100 years?

        • huge Celt. August 2, 2017 at 5:32 pm #

          More than 50% consistently support it – only 7% send their children to Integrated Education.

  5. fiosrach August 2, 2017 at 5:11 pm #

    Interested in Gaelscoil project in Derry. As far as I’m aware, all gaelscoileanna are non denominational. But perhaps you know different?

    • huge Celt. August 2, 2017 at 5:34 pm #

      The people behind the project claimed it was Integrated. That’s good enough for me.

  6. fiosrach August 2, 2017 at 6:17 pm #

    Not for me. If you believe everything you hear you will eat everything you see.

    • huge Celt. August 3, 2017 at 11:37 am #

      I suggest you ask them directly why they ate claiming to be an Integrated project.

      Are they, perhaps, the Trojan Horse of a Republican Agenda.

      The World deserves to know….

      Ps. You’re giving the impression that you’re in favour of Irish Language schools, but not Integrated Irish Language schools.
      Interesting.

  7. fiosrach August 3, 2017 at 2:56 pm #

    You can’t be any more integrated than non-denominational, can you? I presume you’re referring to perceived religious background,here.

    • Stephen Kelly August 3, 2017 at 6:45 pm #

      fiosrach With you on this one. huge Celt you could be interesting sometimes but boy and i hope i don’t get into trouble with Jude here but your in my opinion negativity and i only speak for me has made me place you with gio and tam on the quick scroll button. Not that i am sure you will give a monkeys fek what i think of your contributions. That i do like about you lol.

      • huge Celt. August 4, 2017 at 11:31 am #

        @ Stephen.

        I’m sorry for pointing out the non-delivery of both Sinn Fein and Stormont on such a crucial issue as Integrated Education.

        Many feel that there is no magic bullet solution, but educating our children together over the last generation may have had a healing effect on our previous woes.

        You may not feel that way.
        And that’s fine.

        Ps. You’re not obligated to read anybodys contributions – I find it neither flattering, nor insulting if you read mine.
        Feel free to scroll on past.

      • giordanobruno August 4, 2017 at 11:46 am #

        Stephen
        It is always best to read only those comments you think you will agree with.
        That way you will never have to think about any difficult questions.