THE DESTRUCTIVE and dirty side of party, and inter-party, politics is being played out in Northern Ireland while the people want progress. People on the ground are being short-changed and the peace process they endorsed is under threat. DUP and Sinn Féin politicians have been diverted by disagreements over dates for the transfer of justice and policing powers and changes to the Parades Commission, as the economic situation worsens. For the first time, the confidence of the electorate, North and South, in the political dispensation endorsed in the historic Belfast Agreement, is waning. We are on the cusp of a moment of development or betrayal.
Some DUP politicians are prisoners of the past and deeply resent the realities of powersharing. The fact that Sinn Féin is involved makes it particularly problematic. It was with great reluctance they allowed Ian Paisley make the original deal, involving the two Governments and Sinn Féin, more than three years ago. Now that the issue of justice and policing has been reopened, they are seeking to mollify extremist supporters by demanding changes to the Parades Commission that fall outside of the St Andrews Agreement. It is a recipe for disaster.
Negotiations between the DUP and Sinn Féin have dragged on for weeks, first with the assistance of Brian Cowen and Gordon Brown, then with the involvement of Micheál Martin and Shaun Woodward. Progress has been painfully slow.
But the public was told at regular intervals that important advances were being made. Agreement in principle was apparently finally reached last Saturday between the parties. The Taoiseach and prime minister made arrangements to travel to Belfast.
Then 14 DUP politicians voted “No” in a secret ballot. Should such an important matter be decided in this way? Rejection had the capacity to bring down the Executive and cause Assembly elections.
Surely voters have a right to know where their elected representatives stand on such crucial matters? Rejection also amounted to a vote of “no confidence” in the leadership of Peter Robinson, even though prominent dissidents insisted otherwise. Sinn Féin has studiously avoided commenting on Mr Robinson’s mounting difficulties. It may hope that relations within the Executive will improve once the devolutionary process has been completed.
If that is to happen, both Sinn Féin and the DUP will have to make space for other political parties, so that a powersharing Executive comes to mean exactly what it says.
In recent days, the public mood has alternated between anger, disillusionment and apathy as a minority of politicians refurbished tribal trenches and concentrated on matters that divided them.
Public confidence in the political process has been damaged. It may reawaken destructive tendencies.
Mr Robinson has resumed the role of First Minister. What the silent majority in Northern Ireland want to hear is that there is a Northern Executive, governing the affairs of Northern Ireland, in the peoples’ interest.