Conclusion: Northern Ireland: ‘Just a Step Along the Way’

Abstract

In overall political terms, as in the public view, the Mayhew talks failed, as the Brooke talks a year previously had also failed. The talks agenda expressed the goal of an overall settlement comprising all three strands or relationships. Clearly, no such ambitious result was forthcoming. Indeed, since no single strand reached anything like a definite conclusion, it is hard to claim even a partial success.