How did the Good Friday peace agreement seek to control the conflict?
• Following considerable personal involvement by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, American President Bill Clinton, and intensive discussions between the local political parties, the Belfast Agreement (The Good Friday Agreement) was signed on Good Friday, 1998. The majority of political parties supported the Agreement, notable exception being Ian Paisleys DUP who refused to participate in talks. • It sets out a plan for devolved government in Northern Ireland on a stable and inclusive basis and provided for the creation of • Human Rights and Equality commissions, • the early release of terrorist prisoners, • the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons and, • far reaching reforms of criminal justice and policing. • The Agreement proposed an inter-connected group of institutions from three strands of relationships. • Strand One deals with relationships within Northern Ireland and created the Northern Ireland Assembly, its Executive and the consultative Civic Forum.
