Report to the People
The British-Irish Council meeting in Greenock?
The political landscape of the last century was dominated by events in Ireland. Now, as we begin a new century, we have an, albeit fledgling, Peace Process.
It may be a truism, but almost everyone in Northern Ireland, and in the rest of Britain, wants to see a lasting peace. It sometimes seems, though, to those of us who live outwith the Province, that we cannot contribute towards the solution.
Last week in the Scottish Parliament, however, we had a chance to play a small part.
We were debating the establishment of the British-Irish Council – a body set up under the Good Friday Agreement to allow representatives from throughout the UK to meet, to discuss and exchange ideas, to consult and to try and agree on how we can co-operate on matters of mutual interest.
During the debate, which, as my colleague John McAllion pointed out, was relatively free of party political point scoring, the question of where the body would meet was discussed. The usual suspects, of course, set out their stall to attract the Council to Scotland’s cities. But why, I thought, should it not come to Greenock?
In a written answer to me on 15th September last year, Donald Dewar confirmed that "The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that government … is efficient and decentralised." Indeed, he has further stated that when a new unit or agency is established, there should be a presumption against its location in Edinburgh.
So, with this in mind, let’s consider the case for Greenock.
The Executive have laid down rules for deciding the location of official bodies. The most important of these is that the location must promote efficiency and effectiveness. Locating in Greenock is certainly cost effective. I don’t have to tell you about the number of major investors we have attracted in recent years, or about our first class conference and meeting facilities.
The Waterfront Campus at James Watt College, the old Custom House or any of our fine historical public buildings would be ideal venues.
The Executive are also keen that official bodies be close to the communities they serve. Locating in Greenock would certainly encourage this. Easy access to air and rail links (on a dry day, at least) and the planned ferry crossings to Ireland from Port Glasgow will make travelling from England, Wales, or the Isles, enjoyable and convenient.
These criteria are, I believe, excellent. So good in fact, that they should be adopted by our colleagues throughout the United Kingdom.
Further, we have strong historical ties with Ireland. The story of Greenock is, as one local dignitary said to me, "one of migrants and immigrants."
It is a fact that the decision over wherever the British-Irish Council meets will have connotations. Greenock, however, by virtue of its history, mix of population and accessibility, transcends these boundaries. We have, after all, links with almost every one of the communities involved.
The success of the Good Friday Agreement and the democratic institutions it established are crucial to long lasting peace. Given the current difficulties surrounding the Peace Process, the work of these institutions is more important than ever. We would be extremely fortunate if we could play some part in resolving this most complicated of problems.
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