New Decade, New Approach
{{Short description|Northern Irish governmental agreement}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox treaty
| name = New Decade, New Approach
| type =
| context =
| date_drafted =
| date_signed = {{Start date|df=yes|2020|1|9}}
| location_signed = Belfast, Northern Ireland
| date_sealed =
| date_effective = {{Start date|df=yes|2020|1|9}}
| condition_effective =
| date_expiration =
| date_expiry =
| mediators =
| negotiators =
| original_signatories =
| signatories =
| parties = *Government of the United Kingdom
| language = English
| footnotes =
}}
New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) is a 9 January 2020 agreement which restored the government of the Northern Ireland Executive after a three-year hiatus triggered by the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.{{cite journal |last1=Haughey |first1=Sean |title=Back to Stormont: The Agreement and What it Means for Northern Ireland |journal=The Political Quarterly |date=January 2020 |volume=91 |issue=1 |pages=134–140 |doi=10.1111/1467-923X.12818|doi-access=free }}{{cite news |title=BBC News NI experts examine the detail of deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-51063140 |accessdate=23 April 2020 |work=BBC News |date=10 January 2020}}{{cite web |title=New Decade, New Approach: New opportunities |url=https://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/blog/new-decade-new-approach-new-opportunities/ |website=Carnegie UK Trust |accessdate=23 April 2020 |date=31 March 2020}} It was negotiated by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Julian Smith and Irish Tánaiste Simon Coveney.{{cite web |title=Deal To See Restored Government In Northern Ireland Tomorrow |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deal-to-see-restored-government-in-northern-ireland-tomorrow |website=GOV.UK |date=9 January 2020 |accessdate=23 April 2020 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Justice |first1=Committee on the Administration of |title=Analysis of the New Decade, New Approach agreement |url=https://caj.org.uk/2020/02/04/analysis-of-the-new-decade-new-approach-agreement/ |website=CAJ |accessdate=23 April 2020 |date=4 February 2020}}{{cite news |title=What does the 'New Decade, New Approach' (NDNA) agreement mean for Northern Ireland's Brexit? |url=https://ukandeu.ac.uk/explainers/what-does-the-new-decade-new-approach-ndna-agreement-mean-for-northern-irelands-brexit/ |accessdate=23 April 2020 |work=UK in a changing Europe}}
On 11 January 2020, the Executive was re-formed with Arlene Foster as First Minister and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill as deputy first minister following the New Decade, New Approach agreement. All five parties joined the government; other ministers include Edwin Poots (DUP); Robin Swann (UUP), Nichola Mallon (SDLP), Gordon Lyons (DUP), and Declan Kearney (SF). Alliance Party leader Naomi Long was appointed justice minister. At the first session of the assembly, Foster stated that it was "time for Stormont to move forward".
As part of the agreement, many of the proposals sought by nationalists under an Irish Language Act would be implemented by amending existing laws rather than introducing a new standalone law.{{cite news |last1=Meredith |first1=Robbie |title=NI experts examine the detail of deal: Language |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-51063140 |accessdate=26 June 2020 |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=10 January 2020}} Many other aspects of the policy were included in the deal.
{{multiple image
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| footer = The New Decade, New Approach agreement was brokered by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Julian Smith and Irish Tánaiste Simon Coveney.
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Background
= Renewable Heat Incentive scandal =
{{Main|Renewable Heat Incentive scandal}}
The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal related to the cost of a renewable energy scheme initiated by Arlene Foster during her tenure as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38656523|title=RHI scandal: PSNI considering request for fraud investigation|last1=Macauley|first1=Conor|date=17 January 2017|work=BBC News}} The scandal came to light in November 2016, when Foster was First Minister of Northern Ireland. Foster refused to stand aside during the enquiry, ultimately leading to the resignation of Martin McGuinness, deputy First Minister, which, under the Northern Ireland power-sharing agreement, led to the collapse of the Northern Ireland executive in January 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38561507|title=Martin McGuinness resigns as NI deputy first minister|date=10 January 2017|work=BBC News}}
= Collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive =
File:Theresa May visited Northern Ireland July 2016.jpg meets with First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in 2016.]]
Following the collapse of the Northern Ireland executive, snap elections were held. These elections were the first in the history of Northern Ireland where unionist parties did not win a majority: this was attributed to the RHI scandal, the role of the DUP in Brexit, and demographic shifts.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/03/45-7-northern-ireland-lost-unionist-majority-sinn-fein-regained-mojo/|title=45.7%: How Northern Ireland lost its Unionist majority, and Sinn Féin regained their mojo|date=2017-03-04|website=Coffee House|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-31}} Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 a further election must be held within six weeks if no executive is formed. Following the elections, talks were held and facilitated by the British and Irish Governments in order to restore the devolved administration in Northern Ireland. During this time there were two Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland: James Brokenshire and Karen Bradley, who all failed to restore the executive. In order to prevent further re-elections the British Parliament passed the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Act 2017 and Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018 which provided for further extensions to the deadline set in the 1998 Act, as well legislating for devolved issues such as taxation. Following the 2018 Act, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 was introduced to parliament to extend the deadline further.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-48981703|title=Northern Ireland bill - what happens next?|last=McCormack|first=Jayne|date=2019-07-15|access-date=2019-08-31|language=en-GB}} Secretary of State Julian Smith eventually restored the Executive in January 2020 under the terms of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
= Irish Language Act =
{{Main|Irish Language Act}}
Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Alliance Party,{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Ceimin |title=Explainer: What is the Irish Language Act and why is it causing political deadlock in Northern Ireland? |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/irish-language-act-explainer-3851417-Feb2018/ |accessdate=21 September 2019|date=14 February 2018 |work=TheJournal.ie |language=en}} and the Green Party, support an Irish Language Act,{{cite news |title=Adams: 'No assembly without language act' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-41095799 |accessdate=21 September 2019 |work=BBC |date=30 August 2017}} which is opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Unionist Party.{{cite news |last1=Meredith |first1=Robbie |title=Language laws 'strengthen not threaten' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-47575607 |accessdate=21 September 2019 |work=BBC |date=15 March 2019}} The Irish Language Act ({{langx|ga|Acht na Gaeilge}}) is proposed legislation that would give the Irish language equal status to English in the region, similar to that of the Welsh language in Wales under the Welsh Language Act 1993.{{Cite news |date=January 9, 2020 |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/explainer-breaking-the-deadlock-over-an-irish-language-act-1.4135275 |title=Explainer: Breaking the deadlock over an Irish Language Act |first=Éanna |last=Ó Caollaí|newspaper=The Irish Times }}
Gerry Adams, then Sinn Féin leader, stated in August 2017 that "There won't be an assembly without an Acht na Gaeilge." According to The Independent in 2019, the Irish Language Act has become the most public issue of disagreement in discussions about restoring Stormont, and it is "almost certainly" required for a deal to be made to end the deadlock.{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Ben |title=Why is there no government in Northern Ireland? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/northern-ireland-talks-latest-power-sharing-deal-stormont-sinn-fein-dup-a8893096.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/northern-ireland-talks-latest-power-sharing-deal-stormont-sinn-fein-dup-a8893096.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |accessdate=23 September 2019 |work=The Independent |date=30 April 2019 |language=en}}
Agreement
On 11 January 2020, Sinn Féin and the DUP re-entered devolved government under the New Decade, New Approach agreement with DUP leader Arlene Foster appointed Northern Ireland's first minister, and Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill appointed deputy first minister.{{cite news |title=Stormont deal: Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill new top NI ministers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51077397 |website=BBC News |date=11 January 2020 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=11 January 2020}}
=Irish language and Ulster Scots=
{{See|Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022}}
As part of the agreement, there will be no standalone Irish Language Act, but the Northern Ireland Act 1998 will be amended and policies implemented to:
- grant official status to both the Irish language and Ulster Scots in Northern Ireland;{{cite news |title=What's in the draft Stormont deal? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-51059789 |accessdate=26 June 2020 |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=10 January 2020}}
- establish the post of Irish Language Commissioner to "recognise, support, protect and enhance the development of the Irish language in Northern Ireland" as part of a new Office of Identity and Cultural Expression (alongside an Ulster Scots/Ulster British Commissioner);
- introduce sliding-scale "language standards", a similar approach to that taken for the Welsh language in Wales, although they are subject to veto by the First Minister or deputy First Minister;{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Dr John |title=What's the real deal with Stormont's Irish language proposals? |url=https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0115/1107583-whats-the-real-deal-with-stormonts-irish-language-proposals/ |accessdate=26 June 2020 |agency=RTE |date=15 January 2020 |language=en}}
- repeal a 1737 ban on the use of Irish in Northern Ireland's courts;
- allow members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to speak in Irish or Ulster Scots, with simultaneous translation for non-speakers,{{cite news |last1=Hughes |first1=Brendan |title=How the Stormont deal tackles language and identity issues |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/01/11/news/how-the-stormont-deal-tackles-language-and-identity-issues-1811293/ |accessdate=26 June 2020 |work=The Irish News |date=11 January 2020 |language=en}} and
- establish a central translation unit within the Northern Ireland government.
Section 27 of the NDNA affirms the right of Northern Irish people to identify as Irish, British, or both, and promises “legislation to create a Commissioner to recognise, support, protect and enhance the development of the Irish language in Northern Ireland” and a second Commissioner “to enhance and develop the language, arts and literature associated with the Ulster Scots / Ulster British tradition”. The Assembly's Standing Orders would be amended to allow business to be conducted in the Assembly and its Committees in Irish or Ulster Scots, and a simultaneous translation system would be provided.[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/856998/2020-01-08_a_new_decade__a_new_approach.pdf Full text of New Decade, New Approach], paragraph 27, Gov.uk, accessed 17 June 2021
= Other measures =
The Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022 was passed by the UK Parliament to implement parts of the agreement.
= Implementation =
== Priorities of the Restored Executive ==
== Northern Ireland Executive Formation Agreement ==
Aftermath
First Minister Arlene Foster resigned in May 2021 after the DUP signaled a no-confidence vote would be held against her. She was replaced by former Minister of Communities Paul Givan on 17 June 2021, with O'Neill staying on as deputy first minister.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-08 |title=DUP's Paul Givan named as Northern Ireland first minister |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jun/08/dup-paul-givan-named-as-northern-ireland-first-minister |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} However, Givan himself resigned in protest in February 2022 over disputes with Westminster concerning the Northern Ireland Protocol, with early elections called for 7 May 2022.{{Cite news |date=2022-02-03 |title=DUP: NI First Minister Paul Givan announces resignation |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60241608 |access-date=2022-05-08}} No legislation was held on the contents of the Irish Language Act prior to the 2022 Assembly election.{{Cite news |date=2022-03-28 |title=No Irish language legislation before assembly election |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60908379 |access-date=2022-05-08}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deal-to-see-restored-government-in-northern-ireland-tomorrow UK Government Press Release], GOV.UK
- [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/856998/2020-01-08_a_new_decade__a_new_approach.pdf Full text of New Decade, New Approach], GOV.UK
{{Northern Ireland Assembly}}