Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

The deal cobbled together in St. Andrews in Scotland between the British and Irish Governments and the political parties in Northern Ireland is called an agreement. In reality it is shaky, full of contradictions, and will be prone to collapse because it was an agreement to agree something general with major issues left outstanding.

Deals worked out between parties which are sectarian-based cannot by definition address the real problems affecting the communities in Northern Ireland, including crucially sectarian division itself, which continues to blight the lives of working class people in particular. There is a deal with general outlines underpinned no doubt by several private assurances to parties, which would be interpreted differently depending on which sectarian bloc is concerned. A deal between Sinn Féin and the DUP does not get to the roots of sectarian divisions and eight years after the Good Friday Agreement the communities are unfortunately more divided than ever.

This deal is based on neo-liberal, right wing economic policies pushed by the Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, and by the Irish Government. Such economic concessions as it contains, including a cap on rates and cuts in corporation tax, benefit the wealthy and corporations. There is nothing in this to stop the imposition of a significant burden of water charges on working class people and their communities which will be a major issue down the line.

On the basis of the institutionalisation of sectarianism on which these deals are based there will inevitably be crisis after crisis as party leaders play to an agenda which is based on sectarian division, depending on which sectarian camp they claim to represent. A radical policy on strategy that builds the unity of working class people in Northern Ireland across sectarian divisions addressing the key problems that they face, and the national question, is the way forward. Unfortunately, a solution for the peoples of Northern Ireland will not come from two right wing Governments and parties which are based on sectarian divisions.

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