MP's attend Dail Commitee

[Jim]

Yes, they did. And look who are the ones getting on with things.

[earl]

Nothing important would ever be decided in these meetings. It's a sop for republican/nationalist voters in the north. the northern mp's have no say and are there to observe and offer an opinion if asked. Anything important would be decided between the Irish, British and NI governments at some other appropriate council. Unionist politicians are not losing out on anything by not attending. It's just a body that reviews the GFA's implementation, rather than changing it. A talkshop.
I'm just saying it as it is. I'd like the Unionist Mp's to be involved, but I understand if they are not.

[Republic]

Earl has it spot on in my opinion.

It is similar, in a way, to SF MPs ignoring Westminster in 1918 and setting up Dáil Eireann.
By ignoring something, you can reject its legitimacy.
So it is in unionism's interest to ignore the Dáil and not let them get a shoe in the door, so to speak.

Criticising for them for that is a waste of time IMO. Why not just ask them to bend over instead? ;D

It seems the criticism is sour grapes because unionism is acting as a hindrance to all-ireland co-operation.

[Republic]

Whats silly about it?
It would be a very symbolic move for unionists to attend a meeting in the Dublin parliament. They would be inviting severe criticism from their own electorate. What unionist politician would want to risk that for a pretty meaningless meeting?

If you really think the meetings are that important, then you are silly!

[Republic]

setanta said:

The Sinn Féin MP's were fully utilising their offices and the facilities in Westminister until they were taken away from them as "punishment" for the Northern Bank.
Not to do so would be silly and childish.

An inititive could emerge from one of those meetings and the Unionist MP's would be out of the loop

They could easily be filled in on the new initiative. Modern communication is a great thing

Can you at least see why they are not attending?

SF MPs were using those offices because that was the parliament they were elected to. Unionist MPs were not elected to Dáil Eireann.

[earl]

republic said:

It would be a very symbolic move for unionists to attend a meeting in the Dublin parliament.

This is it in a nutshell. I think it's too early for anything like this to happen. We have the hardliners sharing power in NI, we have the DUP working in partnership with the Irish government in certain all-Ireland aspects, and things in general between the two parts of the island are cordial. Let's let some of the more stubborn hardliners absorb this new environment first before trying to progress again. Paitence is the key, and time is on our side!

[Jim]

earl said:

Nothing important would ever be decided in these meetings. It's a sop for republican/nationalist voters in the north. the northern mp's have no say and are there to observe and offer an opinion if asked. Anything important would be decided between the Irish, British and NI governments at some other appropriate council. Unionist politicians are not losing out on anything by not attending. It's just a body that reviews the GFA's implementation, rather than changing it. A talkshop.
I'm just saying it as it is. I'd like the Unionist Mp's to be involved, but I understand if they are not.

Its not about decisions, its about recommendations that could very well become new agreements, if I was a unionist I'd want in on that. Not attending because its in the Dail is as backward as dissident republicans not having anything to do with Stormont.

Politics on a whole is a talkshop.

[earl]

jim said:

Its not about decisions, its about recommendations that could very well become new agreements, if I was a unionist I'd want in on that.

They are in on that. The Irish governemnt can't do sh!t without support from the British and NI governments. We're all in partnership. So if this commitee comes up with a recomendation, it'll have to be okayed by the British and NI governments in the proper forums regardless of who was involved in this commitee. That's the GFA in action!

Politics on a whole is a talkshop.

there's talkshops and theres talkshops. There'll probably be less acted on here than in a debate in the Seanad and that's a real talkshop!
You're getting a little ahead of yourself Jim in expectation here. this is a start, and it is of historic significance in principle. But we're all taking baby steps here. We are using the EU approach to getting things done, which is to move so slowly that no-one notices the change! We're on the road now, so paitence is the key.

[Jim]

They arent in on it if they arent present at every turn, every corner, and every meeting about the GFA. Thats how I see it. If it was to be held at Westminster I'd expect SF to turn up and fully engage.

Not attending a meeting on the GFA because its held at the Dail isnt what I'd call a partnership.

This will be one of many debates at the Dail over the GFA and over the North, there will be some held in Stormont, and some held in Westminster too I can bet. If believing all elected representatives should be present at anything to do with the GFA is getting ahead of myself then I'm guilty.

Put it this way, eventually the GFA/St Andrews will have to be updated with the times, the economy, the structure of the state and the relationship between north, south, and east. Every sentence spoken is part of what will become the final document.

[earl]

jim said:

They arent in on it if they arent present at every turn, every corner, and every meeting about the GFA. Thats how I see it. If it was to be held at Westminster I'd expect SF to turn up and fully engage.

Not attending a meeting on the GFA because its held at the Dail isnt what I'd call a partnership.

This will be one of many debates at the Dail over the GFA and over the North, there will be some held in Stormont, and some held in Westminster too I can bet. If believing all elected representatives should be present at anything to do with the GFA is getting ahead of myself then I'm guilty.

Put it this way, eventually the GFA/St Andrews will have to be updated with the times, the economy, the structure of the state and the relationship between north, south, and east. Every sentence spoken is part of what will become the final document.

My understanding of this commitee is that it is an internal Irish government continous review of the GFA. The nationalist/republican Mp's are there to give an opinon but thats it. There will be no major decisions made at this thing. It's there to make sure that the Irish governement have done their homework when attending the proper cross-border institutions.

[Jim]

An opinion can count for a lot mate, its in unionist interests even more if its an internal irish government review. If they want less irish government involvement they should have been there to make that clear.

Can you picture what Sf voters would be saying if they refused to talk to the british government over less involvement? Why are the DUP so keen to whinge and complain about the irish government then not give their view directly to the dail itself?

I mean, in the end, it only benefits republicans if the DUP dont go, so good enough!