Tangled relationships
The task of politicians and diplomats in both parts of Ireland is becoming ever more difficult as traditional certainties and alliances are challenged by military and economic conflicts all over the world.
The contributions by Rory Montgomery and Paul McElhinney, both formerly from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, focus on the challenges facing the government and diplomats in the Republic in dealing with Trump’s ever-changing policies on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and his chaotic approach to sanctions and tariffs. They provide valuable insights on the difficulties in balancing traditional relationships and current pressures within the European Union and the United Nations. There are no easy answers.
The analysis by Shannon Morrissey on Ireland’s long-standing commitment to neutrality identifies new strains in its approach to support for Palestine and Ukraine, not least in respect of Ireland’s trade relations with Israel. This strange data seems to arise from opportunities linked to the dual status of Northern Ireland trading both within and outside the UK.
There are similar strains over the approaches of the British and Irish governments to legacy issue. The insistence of the Irish government on the rejection of any form of conditional amnesty, relying on somewhat uncertain human rights judgements in Strasbourg, runs counter to the British approach to the protection of informers and secrecy over other aspects of undercover operations during the Troubles. Both seem to find it difficult to envisage any different approach to the need for communal reconciliation, as advocated by Harold Good, based on our shared Christian values of acknowledgement, graceful apology and forgiveness.
On all these issues what is needed on all sides – in Ireland, the UK, the EU and the Assembly – is a less strict and outdated approach to state sovereignty in respect of shared responsibility over a borderland territory in which majority rule – or majority referendum decisions – cut across historic communal identities and aspirations. Some of this has been accepted over dual citizenship. It needs to be expanded into shared legal and financial responsibilities.
View Issue 499