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fore, our main points are towards a political solution. Where else
Mr. Currie: So you see a pretty substantial involvement, in a help-
does one start in a solution to the Northern Ireland problem rather
ful way, of the Government and people of the South in a solution
than the basic problem itself which is the irreconcilable claims of
in Northern Ireland?
two legitimate communities? That is where you start. Therefore,
you start with the necessity of a political compromise settlement.
Mr. Donaghy: I cannot put proportions on it but commonsense
Security will flow from that; it cannot precede it.
tells me that what happens in the Republic of Ireland is very
important to the creation of a solution.
Mr. Currie: T agree that that is the only way to approach it but are
you sure that the particular type of institutions which you have
Mr. Currie: Is that commonsense shared by all your colleagues?
suggested and which are confined to the current unit of Northern
Ireland will provide that solution to the problem?
Mr. Donaghy: Yes. But we would appeal to the politicians here, if
we have to appeal to them and in many cases we do not, to con-
Mr. Hewitt: We have not suggested any particular institutions at
tinue their courageous and positive efforts. There was a certain
all.
amount of negative questioning by the earlier speaker which I sup-
pose is only human nature but we are making a strong appeal to
Mr. Currie: You are suggesting that the two traditions must have a
the politicians today to continue, no matter how discouraging,
share in the responsibility and you are talking about the institu-
their efforts to find an honourable compromise.
tions of Government reflecting the different traditions. I assume
we are talking about a power-sharing operation?
Mr. Currie: My time is limited and I have a lot of questions I
Mr. Hewitt: It is quite clear that that is what we are saying, power
would like to ask but I cannot. You can take it for granted that not
sharing, but we will leave it to you experts to dress that up consti-
only I but, 1 am sure, every single member of this Forum has taken
tutionally and politically. We are absolutely convinced that at
on board you opinions. This is what the Forum is about — res-
present the air is not right to produce structures and institutions
ponding to the feelings of people like yourself. I hope you will take
and we first of all in the North of Ireland must clear the air to pro-
an early opportunity of making the same appeal to the British
duce in the North a situation in which structures can survive.
Government to get their fingers out and get something done. On
page 17 you say:
Mr. Currie: 1 get the gist of what you are saying. I hope you get the
In addition a way must be found to enable the nationalist people
gist of what I am saying. You say on page 15 of your submission:
of the North to express their Irish identity and to find that Irish
Both the Unionist community and the United Kingdom Govern-
identity recognised and respected in the environment in which
ment must also recognise the legitimate interests of the Govern-
they live.
ment and people of the Republic.
How is this to be done in a totally Northern Ireland context?
What do you mean by legitimate interests? Do you mean involve-
ment in a solution or do you mean legitimate interests in relation
Mr. Donaghy: My colleagues asked me this question several times
to the security problem?
when I kept on popping up with this point so 1 sat down and wrote
a paper. I am speaking personally here. A few of the ideas would
Mr. Donaghy: We agonised over that particular sentence for a
be a new set-up in Northern Ireland in which the five principles
considerable time. What we meant by that sentence was basically
would come into operation in conjunction with one another. Per-
what I said earlier on - Northern Ireland is not in the middle of
haps a new flag. perhaps a new anthem. The repeal of the Flags
the North Atlantic. We recognise that no attempted internal solu-
and Emblems Act. The placing in post offices, police stations and
tion which insulated or isolated Northern Ireland from the Repub-
so on of a certificate headed: Government of Northern Ireland"
lic of Ireland and from Britain could possibly work. We are geo-
with a logo on it which was acceptable to both communities. Better
graphically so close and we are socially so inter-mixed with our
brains than mine could work out the way in which this could be
brothers in the South of Ireland and in Great Britain that they
done if the principles were accepted.
must have a role to play but we have not got a crystal ball, we did
not attempt to spell out the modes in which that interest might be
Mr. Currie: I am wondering where we would draw the line between
expressed but we felt that for completeness we had to state it in
that and, say, an independent Northern Ireland. Would you accept
that particular way.
32
33
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"ocrText": "fore, our main points are towards a political solution. Where else\nMr. Currie: So you see a pretty substantial involvement, in a help-\ndoes one start in a solution to the Northern Ireland problem rather\nful way, of the Government and people of the South in a solution\nthan the basic problem itself which is the irreconcilable claims of\nin Northern Ireland?\ntwo legitimate communities? That is where you start. Therefore,\nyou start with the necessity of a political compromise settlement.\nMr. Donaghy: I cannot put proportions on it but commonsense\nSecurity will flow from that; it cannot precede it.\ntells me that what happens in the Republic of Ireland is very\nimportant to the creation of a solution.\nMr. Currie: T agree that that is the only way to approach it but are\nyou sure that the particular type of institutions which you have\nMr. Currie: Is that commonsense shared by all your colleagues?\nsuggested and which are confined to the current unit of Northern\nIreland will provide that solution to the problem?\nMr. Donaghy: Yes. But we would appeal to the politicians here, if\nwe have to appeal to them and in many cases we do not, to con-\nMr. Hewitt: We have not suggested any particular institutions at\ntinue their courageous and positive efforts. There was a certain\nall.\namount of negative questioning by the earlier speaker which I sup-\npose is only human nature but we are making a strong appeal to\nMr. Currie: You are suggesting that the two traditions must have a\nthe politicians today to continue, no matter how discouraging,\nshare in the responsibility and you are talking about the institu-\ntheir efforts to find an honourable compromise.\ntions of Government reflecting the different traditions. I assume\nwe are talking about a power-sharing operation?\nMr. Currie: My time is limited and I have a lot of questions I\nMr. Hewitt: It is quite clear that that is what we are saying, power\nwould like to ask but I cannot. You can take it for granted that not\nsharing, but we will leave it to you experts to dress that up consti-\nonly I but, 1 am sure, every single member of this Forum has taken\ntutionally and politically. We are absolutely convinced that at\non board you opinions. This is what the Forum is about — res-\npresent the air is not right to produce structures and institutions\nponding to the feelings of people like yourself. I hope you will take\nand we first of all in the North of Ireland must clear the air to pro-\nan early opportunity of making the same appeal to the British\nduce in the North a situation in which structures can survive.\nGovernment to get their fingers out and get something done. On\npage 17 you say:\nMr. Currie: 1 get the gist of what you are saying. I hope you get the\nIn addition a way must be found to enable the nationalist people\ngist of what I am saying. You say on page 15 of your submission:\nof the North to express their Irish identity and to find that Irish\nBoth the Unionist community and the United Kingdom Govern-\nidentity recognised and respected in the environment in which\nment must also recognise the legitimate interests of the Govern-\nthey live.\nment and people of the Republic.\nHow is this to be done in a totally Northern Ireland context?\nWhat do you mean by legitimate interests? Do you mean involve-\nment in a solution or do you mean legitimate interests in relation\nMr. Donaghy: My colleagues asked me this question several times\nto the security problem?\nwhen I kept on popping up with this point so 1 sat down and wrote\na paper. I am speaking personally here. A few of the ideas would\nMr. Donaghy: We agonised over that particular sentence for a\nbe a new set-up in Northern Ireland in which the five principles\nconsiderable time. What we meant by that sentence was basically\nwould come into operation in conjunction with one another. Per-\nwhat I said earlier on - Northern Ireland is not in the middle of\nhaps a new flag. perhaps a new anthem. The repeal of the Flags\nthe North Atlantic. We recognise that no attempted internal solu-\nand Emblems Act. The placing in post offices, police stations and\ntion which insulated or isolated Northern Ireland from the Repub-\nso on of a certificate headed: Government of Northern Ireland\"\nlic of Ireland and from Britain could possibly work. We are geo-\nwith a logo on it which was acceptable to both communities. Better\ngraphically so close and we are socially so inter-mixed with our\nbrains than mine could work out the way in which this could be\nbrothers in the South of Ireland and in Great Britain that they\ndone if the principles were accepted.\nmust have a role to play but we have not got a crystal ball, we did\nnot attempt to spell out the modes in which that interest might be\nMr. Currie: I am wondering where we would draw the line between\nexpressed but we felt that for completeness we had to state it in\nthat and, say, an independent Northern Ireland. Would you accept\nthat particular way.\n32\n33"
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