Northern Ireland: Micro Grassroots Activity

Abstract

The formal position of the United Kingdom Government is that it seeks to secure peace, stability, reconciliation and prosperity for the people of Northern Ireland. It endeavours to achieve this through:

• promoting agreement among all people who inhabit the island of Ireland and working together with the Irish Government to that end;

• a co-ordinated and coherent approach to all aspects of government policy which recognises that the fundamental political, security, and economic and social problems of Northern Ireland are closely interrelated; and

• policies informed by the principles of equality of opportunity, equity of treatment and parity of esteem, irrespective of political, cultural or religious affiliation or gender. (Department of Finance & Personnel & H. M. Treasury, 1995)

What is important from this official statement of the government’s position is a recognition that addressing political problems at the macro level is, in itself, insufficient. In other words, even if progress can be made on political, constitutional and security issues, the under-lying community divisions will still exist and need to be addressed. If this does not happen they will threaten and eventually undermine achievements secured at the macro level.