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Government and Politics of Northern Ireland 3rd Edition

Category: Politics

This unique text has been thoroughly rewritten to take into account events since the second edition was published. The author has also brought the work into line with the new specification, so this valuable resource maintains its contemporary relevance.

In the first decade of the 21st century Northern Ireland is a changed and changing political entity with the transition away from conflict and towards lasting peace almost complete and devolved government restored once more.

The focus of this book is government and politics in Northern Ireland under devolved government. To understand the current arrangements for and operation of devolved government it is necessary to review how these arrangements were agreed and developed. An appreciation of the historical development of the Northern State is essential for this.

A short overview of the history of the Northern Ireland State from its founding in 1921 to the 1993 Downing Street Declaration, marking the beginning of the peace process, is provided in Chapter 1. Pathways to peace, including the Belfast Agreement (1998) and the St Andrews Agreement (2006) are explored in Chapter 2.  

The operational arrangements for the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive are outlined and discussed in Chapter 3.

Chapter 4 charts developments relating to the main Northern Ireland political parties since 1994 and explores the consequences for them of devolved government. This is linked to distinctive features of the Northern Irish Electoral System which are examined in Chapter 5.

A critical evaluation of key developments under devolved government is provided in Chapter 6 and the conclusion, Chapter 7, offers a synopsis of government and politics in Northern Ireland while identifying the potential for consensus or contention in the future.

Limited numbers of the second edition are available for those wishing to top up existing class sets.

 ©2008 Colourpoint Books