St Andrews Agreement facts for kids
The St Andrews Agreement was a big deal for Northern Ireland. It was an important agreement made between the governments of Britain and Ireland, and the main political groups in Northern Ireland. This agreement was all about giving more power back to Northern Ireland to govern itself. The talks happened in St Andrews, Scotland, in October 2006. The two biggest political parties in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin, were part of these talks. The agreement helped bring back the Northern Ireland Assembly (their local parliament) and set up a new government in May 2007. It also led to Sinn Féin agreeing to support the police and justice system in Northern Ireland.
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What was the Agreement About?
The St Andrews Agreement had a few key parts. First, Sinn Féin fully agreed to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). This was a very important step for peace. Second, the Northern Ireland Assembly was brought back. This meant local politicians could make decisions for Northern Ireland again. Third, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) agreed to share power with Irish republicans in the new government, called the Northern Ireland Executive.
The plan also included giving control over policing and justice to Northern Ireland within two years. The political parties had until November 10, 2006, to say if they agreed to the plan. The leaders of the new government, called the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, were meant to be chosen on November 24, 2006. The goal was to have the new government fully working by March 26, 2007, after an election on March 7, 2007.
The rules for this agreement were put into a law called the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006. This law became official on November 22, 2006.
How Did People React?
Many people had strong feelings about the agreement. Peter Hain, who was in charge of Northern Ireland for the British government, called it an "amazing breakthrough." Bertie Ahern, the leader of the Irish government, said that if the deadlines weren't met, there would be a "Plan B" with no more talks.
Ian Paisley, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, felt that the agreement was good for his side and that democracy was finally winning. He also stressed that supporting the police and law was now key. Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Féin, said his party needed to discuss the plans, but bringing back the political groups was a "huge reward."
Other party leaders also shared their thoughts. Reg Empey of the Ulster Unionist Party joked that it was like the earlier Belfast Agreement but for "slow learners." Mark Durkan of the Social Democratic and Labour Party felt good progress had been made. David Ford of the Alliance Party saw it as a mix of "challenges and opportunities."
What Happened on the Deadlines?
The agreement set some important dates. The first was November 10, 2006, when parties were asked to confirm they accepted the plan. Sinn Féin said they would continue talks to solve any remaining issues. The DUP said they wouldn't fully commit to sharing power until Sinn Féin was ready to fully support the police. Even though neither party gave a full "yes," both governments felt there was enough support to keep going.
The next deadline was November 24, 2006, when the Assembly was supposed to choose the First and Deputy First Ministers. On that day, Ian Paisley said the time wasn't right to choose leaders. However, he added that if the promises were kept, the DUP would join the government. Gerry Adams nominated Martin McGuinness for Deputy First Minister. Both governments saw Paisley's words as enough of a sign to continue the process.
The March 7 Election and Beyond
The law said that after the election on March 7, 2007, the government ministers had to be chosen by March 26, 2007. If they couldn't agree, the Assembly would be closed down, and the St Andrews Agreement would fail.
On January 28, 2007, Sinn Féin held a special meeting. They agreed to support the police and justice system, but only if the power-sharing government was set up and if control over policing and justice was truly moved to Northern Ireland.
The DUP cautiously welcomed this step. On January 30, the British and Irish leaders confirmed the Assembly elections would happen on March 7.
In the election, the DUP and Sinn Féin both won more seats. This made them even stronger as the two largest parties. On March 25, the British government officially started the process to bring back the government. They warned that if parties didn't agree by the next day, the Assembly would close.
On March 26, Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams met face-to-face for the first time. They agreed to form a government on May 8. The DUP firmly promised to join the government with Sinn Féin on that date. This agreement was welcomed by the British and Irish leaders. New laws were quickly passed to allow for this six-week delay.
The Final Steps to Government
After Paisley and Adams agreed, the four main parties – the DUP, Sinn Féin, the UUP, and the SDLP – chose their government roles. On May 8, 2007, the Assembly met and officially chose Ian Paisley as First Minister and Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister. They also approved the ten ministers chosen by their parties. A few days later, Sinn Féin agreed to join the Policing Board, which helps oversee the police.
On December 8, 2007, Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley visited President George W. Bush in the White House. McGuinness told the press that before March 26 that year, he and Paisley had never even talked about the weather. But now, they had worked closely for seven months without any arguments. He said this showed they were on a new path for Northern Ireland.
See also
- Northern Ireland peace process
- Belfast Agreement (Good Friday Agreement)
- The Journey - a 2016 movie about the agreement.
