Hopes for Northern Ireland

Press, 27 December 1979, Page 12

Hopes for Northern Ireland

The surprise visit of the British Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher, to Northern Ireland over the week-end appears to have been made more as a moralebooster for British troops stationed there than for any other purpose. Such a visit would have to be kept a secret until the last moment because the Provisional wing of the Irish Republican Army, having conducted a decade of violence for political purposes in Northern Ireland, shows no sign of entering the next decade peacefully, and Mrs Thatcher would have been a prime target for the I.R.A.

Her visit should not have interfered with the initiative which the British Government is taking at the moment over Northern Ireland. This is a conference, which will begin on January 7. to restore some measure of local government to Northern Ireland. The conference, which is being promoted by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Mr Humphrey Atkins, was to have been held earlier this month but was postponed after some of the parties refused to attend. Now it appears that both Protestants and Roman Catholics will attend. The Social Democratic and Labour Party has shown anger over a statement by Mr Atkins on Irish unity' but is still attending. One of the Protestant groups still shows opposition but the other, led by Mr lan Paisley, the Democratic Unionists, has said that it will attend. Observers of Northern Ireland are faced with the unusual sight of Mr Paisley, the main leader of the Protestants, and Mr John Hume, the main leader of the Roman Catholics, showing signs of being prepared to deal with one another.

Mr Paisley’s motives in all this cannot be given with any certainty. For

a long time he appeared to embody the most narrow-minded, bitter Protestant attitudes. Like Mr Hume he has become a member of the European Parliament. Whether concentration on broader issues or the strong support he received in being elected to the European Parliament has reassured him politically so that he feels he can move from his old position without political danger remains to be seen. He might also be motivated by wanting to take support away from the other Protestant grouping, the Official Unionists. In any case, the fact that a conference is going to be held at all is an accomplishment. The troubles of Northern Ireland had their origin in a failure to share political power: their resolution will be a political, not a military one.

The attitude of the new Prime Minister of the Irish Republic. Mr Charles Haughey, to Northern Ireland and the activities of the I.R.A. is relevant to the success of the conference. After earlier doubts about where Mr Haughey’s sympathies lay, he has condemned the I.R.A. Whether he will cooperate with the British as did his predecessor, Mr Jack Lynch, may not be as important as his actions and attitudes within his own country. He is going to devote himself to the peaceful reunification of Ireland but, happily for all, and perhaps wisely for himself, has not made his time-table public. However, his main task in Ireland will be to improve the economy and he may see political support to be gained by doing that rather than repeating one of the official policies of the Fianna Fail about reunification of Ireland. It will be important to him, however, that reunification will be discussed in the January conference, even if it is not among the bargaining cards.