Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 18
First Report - The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
Published 4 Dec 2023
Paragraph 93
Addressed to Northern Ireland Executive; Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We note with interest various proposals for reforming the broader system of Executive formation. We believe that there is scope for a system which will allow The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 77 for greater cohesiveness within a coalition but are acutely aware of the potential drawbacks of departing from ‘mandatory’ coalition as we currently see under d’Hondt. While mandatory coalitions can be unwieldy and impede the development and implementation of an Executive’s agenda, we consider it more important to Northern Ireland’s political stability in the short term to at least have an Executive in place in the first instance—hence our previous recommendation to broaden the criteria through which First Ministers can be appointed, without whom no further ministerial portfolios can be allocated. As such, we recommend that the Government incorporates into the Review a full evaluation of how the present system of Executive formation might be reformed to increase coalition cohesiveness while maintaining cross-community representation.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, First Report - The effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (HC 45), paragraph 93, 4 December 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 22 February 2024 (deadline 4 February 2024).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says that, given the recent restoration of the Executive, a review of the Agreement or amendment of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 "is not being considered at this time", while recognising the report's concerns about stability.
- On supermajority election of the Speaker and "Joint First Ministers", it says this would be "a significant departure" from the Agreement's original cross-community protections and would require "significant consultation and consideration".
- On the proposed review, it agrees that significant reform "would require widespread consent" and prefers that discussion is led by the people of Northern Ireland and their representatives.
- On the North/South Ministerial Council and implementation bodies, it says any review of Strand Two working practices "should be led by ministers in Northern Ireland and Ireland".
- On a Citizens' Assembly, it notes calls for more civic engagement and says it is "for the restored Executive to deliver" on the parties' New Decade New Approach commitment. It is "committed to continuing to listen to community views".