Downing Street Declaration

DOWNING STREET Resource DECLARATION 1

A Digitisation and Outreach Project from the Linen Hall Library

A GCSE Toolkit

Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Alamy A Project and Curriculum GCSE Toolkit Information

Introduction Students will

This education resource was develop skills in: created as part of the Linen Hall zz Research Library’s ‘Divided Society’ project. It is a learning tool aimed at GCSE zz Thinking critically/analysing students studying the 1990s period, however those studying politics zz Reading/using primary sources and history subjects will also find its zz Developing an understanding of material relevant. The resource can be used to stimulate debate and history’s value and significance will help towards the development for today’s society of empathy and understanding of zz Developing an awareness of how the topic. Included in the resource the past has been represented, are samples of political cartoons, interpreted and given significance newspaper front pages and political posters. Materials are held at the for different reasons and Linen Hall Library. purposes

zz Acquiring an understanding of different identities within society Key areas of and an appreciation of social, cultural, and religious diversity interest include: zz Recognising that their historical zz Ceasefires knowledge and skills help them zz Bill Clinton’s Visit understand the present and also

zz The Good Friday Agreement provides them with a basis for their role as responsible citizens, zz The Referendum as well as for the possible further zz First Day of Power-Sharing study of history.

2 DOWNING STREET DECLARATION The Downing Street Declaration The Downing Street Declaration was an agreement between the UK and Ireland on a peaceful way forward for Northern Ireland. It enshrined the principle of consent which meant only the people of Northern Ireland could determine its constitutional future. It was signed by the then British Prime Minister John Major and the Irish Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on the 15th of December 1993. The moment was described as a day of hope for a peaceful future, though it did not bring an immediate end to the violence. The document is seen as part of the development towards the Good Friday Agreement.

DIVIDED SOCIETY: NORTHERN IRELAND 1990 – 1998 3 The Irish News article End violence and join talks, premiers tell paramilitaries

16 December 1993 a rapturous welcome on his return. Mr Major vowed that the constitutional The House of Commons also backed guarantee that Northern Ireland would The IRA has been challenged to end Mr Major. Support came from all sides remain part of the United Kingdom its campaign of violence and join the in the house apart from the DUP. The unless the majority wanted otherwise search for a political settlement in Ulster Unionists, adopting a wait-and- was “rock solid.” Northern Ireland. see approach, were lukewarm about the contents of the declaration but did He rebuffed another attack from the The call came yesterday from Taoiseach not attack the government. Rev. Ian Paisley who said that “the Albert Reynolds and Prime Minister John very nub of the controversy” - Articles Major in a day of extraordinary political DUP leader Ian Paisley went on the 2 and 3 - had not been mentioned. development. offensive earlier in the day when he He angrily told Mr Major: “As a public accused the British Leader of “treachery” The two premiers agreed a landmark representative, I find it very offensive and selling Northern Ireland “to buy off to be told that in three months time, declaration which outlines Ireland’s the fiendish Republican scum.” right to self-determination and at the if the IRA cease from their violence, same time states boldly to Unionists In Washington President Bill Clinton without any conditions of handing over that change without their consent will welcomed the declaration and vowed to their weapons or their bomb-making not take place. “contribute in any appropriate way.” material, that they will be invited as constitutional politicians to sit down.” They said Republicans could join a He said the joint statement created a process leading to participation in “historic opportunity to end the tragic An angry Prime Minister hit back saying: revamped political talks after three cycle of bloodshed” in Northern Ireland. “The purpose of this agreement and this months of the IRA ordering an end to its document is to make sure that 25 years campaign of violence. The meeting of the two Prime Ministers from now your successor does not sit began promptly at 11am yesterday after there saying that to the Prime Minister Mr Major said the Republican a night of frenetic telephone diplomacy of the day!” movement had been given an between Dublin and London. Mr Reynolds, opportunity. “I hope they will pick it up. accompanied by Tánaiste Dick Spring and To cheers from both sides of the House, That is for them. I cannot compel them Justice Minister Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, he declared: “I wish to take action to to do so. I simply say the option is there was warmly welcomed at the door of No. make sure there’s no more bloodshed of in a way it has not been before. I hope 10 by the Prime Minister. this sort, no more coffins carried away they will have the wit to take it.” week after week because politicians After initial statements made before will not have the courage to sit down, But, he warned, “If they lose this reporters, the declaration was released address the problems and find a way opportunity, it may never come their and questions were taken at a press through.” way again.” conference inside where the Taoiseach appealed: “Let us have a new beginning. To renewed cheers, he told Mr Paisley: Mr Reynolds made an equally forceful There is a different way than the way that “I am prepared to do that - and if you plea “to give peace the best possible has been pursued for the last 25 years.” believe I should not, then you do not chance.” understand the responsibilities of the He said the declaration demonstrated that Last night SDLP leader John Hume the British government was no enemy to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom!” confirmed he would have more talks the rights of the Nationalist tradition, nor SDLP leader John Hume welcomed with Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams was the Irish government an enemy to the the document as “one of the most as it became evident that pressure was rights of the Unionist tradition. steadily growing on the IRA to call off comprehensive declarations that has the violence. The scene shifted to the House of been made about British-Irish relations Commons while Mr Reynolds returned to in the past 70 years.” Sinn Féin is to study the Downing Dublin and the Dáil. Street declaration before making He urged: “My appeal to all sections any announcement, but spokesman The Prime Minister made a further of our people is to read the entire Mitchel McLaughlin admitted intially it announcement to a packed House and statement in full, and to have no knee- was “disappointed.” The IRA made no fielded questions on it for 90 minutes. jerk reactions.” comment. He said the declaration “set out a clear framework under which differences can Mr Major in a Prime Ministerial Loyalist paramilitaries said they were be negotiated and resolved exclusively broadcast last night reiterated his call examining the document and would by peaceful political means.” on the IRA to give up violence. “The door deliver their verdict soon. is open,” he said. He added, “But that can only come about The Downing Street declaration was if the men of violence end the killing and Yesterday’s dramatic breakthrough enthusiastically received by Dáil commit themselves to the democratic came after months of the toughest Éireann where the Taoiseach was given process.” negotiations.

4 DOWNING STREET DECLARATION General Questions

1. Look at the article on page 3. What is the political significance of the lines above the main headline? ‘The British Government agree that it is for the people of the island alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish.’ ......

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2. Why is Ian Paisley calling the Downing Street Declaration a ‘sell out’? ......

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3. Who are the key players in the newspaper article? ......

4. Explain what the ‘principle of consent’ means? ......

5. Look up reactions to the Downing Street Declaration on the internet. List some of the opinions under the headings below:

Unionist Nationalist Paramilitary

DIVIDED SOCIETY: NORTHERN IRELAND 1990 – 1998 5 Joint Declaration

‘This Joint Declaration is a charter for peace and reconciliation in Ireland. Peace is a very simple, but also a very powerful idea, whose time has come. The Joint Declaration provides from everyone’s point of view a noble means of establishing the first step towards lasting peace with justice in Ireland.

The central idea behind the Peace Declaration is that the problems of Northern Ireland, however deep and intractable, however difficult to reconcile, have to be resolved exclusively by political and democratic means. Its objective is to heal the divisions among the people of Ireland.

The Declaration makes it clear that it is for the people of Ireland, North and South, to achieve agreement without outside impediment. The British Government have also declared that they will encourage, enable and facilitate such agreement, and that they will endorse whatever agreement emerges and take the necessary steps to implement it. The language of the Declaration quite clearly makes both Governments persuaders for agreement between the people of Ireland.

The dynamic for future progress must reside in the full use of the democratic political process, in the underlying changes in Irish society, North and South, and in our external environment.

Peace is the first essential for better relationships on this island. The Joint Declaration is only the first stage in the Peace Process. There will never be a better opportunity. Peace will allow us to develop a new atmosphere of trust and co-operation and to establish a new era of détente, which is the only way forward.’

6 DOWNING STREET DECLARATION Activity

Look up the main points of the Downing Street Declaration on the internet and list the points which both Prime Ministers agreed to.

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DIVIDED SOCIETY: NORTHERN IRELAND 1990 – 1998 7 DOWNING STREET DECLARATION

Resource 1

1994 Since 1968 the Linen Hall Library has been collecting material CEASEFIRE relating to the conflict in Northern Ireland. Over the years the Library has become the repository for a vast amount of Resource material relating to the subject and the subsequent Peace 2 Process.

The Northern Ireland Political Collection now consists of over 350,000 items including books, pamphlets, leaflets, posters, BILL manifestos, press releases, newspapers, objects and many CLINTON’S thousands of periodicals. It is a completely unique collection VISIT TO that is unrivalled throughout the world. NORTHERN IRELAND The Divided Society project sees a significant section of the Northern Ireland Political Collection digitised. The project is Resource funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Ulster Garden Villages, 3 and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Hundreds of Periodical titles relating to the conflict have been digitised and made available from the new Divided THE Society website. These are publications that were published AGREEMENT between 1990-1998 in the UK, Ireland and further afield, and documented the issues that affected Northern Ireland during

Resource that period.

4 This was a significant time in Northern Ireland’s history and included events such as the Downing Street Declaration, several ceasefires, and the ongoing peace negotiations which culminated in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

THE Divided Society, Linen Hall Library REFERENDUM 17 Donegall Square North, Belfast BT1 5GB, Northern Ireland Phone: +44 (0) 28 9032 1707 Email: [email protected] Resource 5

FIRST DAY OF POWER- Note of thanks SHARING The Linen Hall Library would like to thank The Irish News, The News Letter, Ian Knox, The Northern Ireland Office, Marian Ferguson, Jim McBride and all those who have assisted with the creation of this education project and allowed us to visit their schools. Without your Resource contribution this would not have been possible. Design and Printing www.csgwd.com 6 www.linenhall.com www.dividedsociety.org