Hillsborough Agreement – Will it lead to a new era of government?

I am just back from Hillsborough.

Everyone will welcome news that we finally have got a date for the devolution of policing and justice. It’s taken way too long but at least these powers are now being returned to Irish hands.

At the heart of the deal however is an act of political discrimination. That a nationalist will never be able to hold the justice ministry because Sinn Fein negotiated away their right to do so is a total contradiction of the commitment made in today’s agreement to promote ‘greater inclusiveness’ in the executive.

The provisions on parading are also worrying. Sinn Fein have singed up to a process which can only have one outcome and that is the abolishment of the Parades Commission. This is a major u-turn for the party and a victory for the DUP. It raises many questions about the party’s real commitment to equality and will cause huge concern in the nationalist community.

Perhaps the most worrying thing about the paper published today in Hillsborough is the total absence of any reference to the big issues which the Executive has failed on despite both parties talking at length over the past three weeks about the need to also resolve big issues on bread and butter issues at the heart of the current coalition.

There is not a line about education, the economy, a shared future or health. Not a word about an Irish Language Act or many of the other outstanding matters from St Andrews. Instead three working groups have been proposed.

 Will they succeed?

Maybe but given the exclusionary record of  Sinn Fein and the DUP to date it is likely they will push the tricky issues further down the line rather then resolve them to everyone’s satisfaction.

There is nothing in today’s agreement which will make parents feel optimistic that a resolution to the 11plus is near. Not a thing for working families facing redundancy to take hope from. Not a line about the need to tackle the sectarianism or racism.

The SDLP will be testing the DUP and Sinn Fein to deliver on the promise of this agreement; to live up to their duty in government and demonstrate that this is more then just a touch of the band-aids to it.