Stormont House Agreement

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Country/entity: Ireland
United Kingdom
Northern Ireland
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: Stormont House Agreement
Date: 23 Dec 2014
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Northern Ireland Conflict (1968 - 1998)
Commonly referred to as ‘the Troubles’, the most recent conflict over the territory of Northern Ireland can be framed as beginning in 1968 and ending with the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement) in 1998. While the genesis of the conflict was closely related to pressures for the state to reform with relation to discrimination against the (minority) Catholic population, the core issue of the conflict as it proceeded was the constitutional status of Northern Ireland, which was contested between the unionist/loyalist (mostly Protestant) majority, who wanted the territory to remain as part of the United Kingdom, and the nationalist/republican (mostly Catholic) minority, whose goal was to unite the six provincial counties with the Republic of Ireland. The thirty years prior to the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement were marked by inter-communal violence, active paramilitary groups, and the deployment of the British army in the province. Mediation by international actors, and dialogue between the British and Irish governments, and between the IRA and its representatives and the British Government eventually resulted in a ceasefire respected by the majority of combatants. Talks led to the Belfast or Good Friday Agreement which established a power-sharing system of governance between nationalist and unionist communities.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Northern Ireland peace process
Parties: Not signed, agreement known to be between the Northern Ireland political parties, but parties unlisted.
Third parties: -
Description: Agreement dealing with issues destabilising the Northern Ireland Executive, relating to flags, emblems, protests and the past. The Agreement also includes a financial annex (published separately).

Agreement document: UK_IE_141223 Stormont House Agreement.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Main category: Page 13, Outstanding Commitments, 69.
Noting that there is not at present consensus on a Bill of Rights, the parties commit to serving the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the obligations on government to promote equality and respect and to prevent discrimination; to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage shared and integrated education and housing, social inclusion, and in particular community development and the advancement of women in public life; and to promote the interests of the whole community towards the goals of reconciliation and economic renewal.

Women, girls and gender

Participation: No specific mention.
Equality: Equality→Equality (general)
Page 13, Outstanding Commitments, para 69
Noting that there is not at present consensus on a Bill of Rights, the parties commit to serving the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the obligations on government to promote equality and respect and to prevent discrimination; to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage shared and integrated education and housing, social inclusion, and in particular community development and the advancement of women in public life; and to promote the interests of the whole community towards the goals of reconciliation and economic renewal.
Equality→Social equality
Page 13, Outstanding Commitments, para 69
Noting that there is not at present consensus on a Bill of Rights, the parties commit to serving the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the obligations on government to promote equality and respect and to prevent discrimination; to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage shared and integrated education and housing, social inclusion, and in particular community development and the advancement of women in public life; and to promote the interests of the whole community towards the goals of reconciliation and economic renewal.
Particular groups of women: No specific mention.
International law: No specific mention.
New institutions: No specific mention.
Violence against women: No specific mention.
Transitional justice: No specific mention.
Institutional reform: No specific mention.
Development: Development→Education
Page 13, Outstanding Commitments, para 69
Noting that there is not at present consensus on a Bill of Rights, the parties commit to serving the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the obligations on government to promote equality and respect and to prevent discrimination; to promote a culture of tolerance, mutual respect and mutual understanding at every level of society, including initiatives to facilitate and encourage shared and integrated education and housing, social inclusion, and in particular community development and the advancement of women in public life; and to promote the interests of the whole community towards the goals of reconciliation and economic renewal.
Implementation: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

STORMONT HOUSE AGREEMENT

Finance and Welfare

The participants agree:

1. Early measures are needed to address the longer term structural financial difficulties in the Northern Ireland budget.

2. In particular there is a need for measures to improve the efficiency of the civil service and wider public sector and reduce administrative costs.

3. The Government has developed a comprehensive financial support package to help the Executive deliver across its priorities.

The total value of

the Government package represents additional spending power of almost £2 billion.

Details of the financial package are in a financial annex attached to this agreement.

2015-16 budget and welfare

4. A final balanced budget for 2015-16 needs to be agreed in January.

5. The Executive will adopt in January 2015 a comprehensive programme of Public Sector Reform and Restructuring which will encompass a wide range of strategies, including measures to address structural differences in relation to the cost of managing a divided society, reduce pay bill costs, such as a reduction in the size of the NICS and the wider public sector, and the extension of shared services.

An independent strategic review of public sector reform conducted by OECD will report by the end of 2015.

6. Legislation will be brought before the Assembly in January 2015 to give effect to welfare changes alongside further work to develop and implement flexibilities and top-ups from the block grant as part of a package of measures to address local need.

7. Implementation of these welfare changes will begin to take place in the financial year 2015-16 and implementation will be complete by 2016-17.

8. In view of the progress made in the talks, legislation will be introduced as soon as Parliament returns to enable the devolution of corporation tax in April 2017.

Progress of legislation will proceed in parallel with the implementation of key measures to deliver sustainable Executive finances.

More detail is included in the financial annex.

Medium and longer term reform

9. Executive departments should also be commissioned to undertake work looking at medium and long term reform measures with the support of DFP and report back by March 2015.

10. These plans will include delivery plans and implementation timetables that allow at least some measures to be delivered in 2015-16 and others as soon as possible thereafter.

11. Executive departments should also consider how best to realise the value of their capital assets through reform or restructuring to realise income and longer term savings.

12. There should be an independent audit of departmental spending to identify how divisions in society impact on the delivery of goods, facilities and services, and to then consider how best to reconfigure service delivery in a manner consistent with a shared future.

13. Revenue raising measures may be considered if cost reductions cannot be achieved quickly enough or if there is a decision to run an enhanced provision of public services.

Additional Fiscal Devolution

14. The Executive is examining a range of taxes, in furtherance of the Economic Pact signed by the Prime Minister, First Minister and deputy First Minister, to consider whether devolution could result in any clear economic or social benefit for Northern Ireland.

In the light of this work the Government will consider additional fiscal devolution for Northern Ireland, including Aggregates Levy, Stamp Duty Land Tax and Landfill Tax.

Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition

The participants agree:

15. A Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition will be established by June 2015 as the basis for further addressing these issues, to report within 18 months of its being established.

The Commission shall consist of fifteen members, seven of which will be nominees appointed by the leaders of the parties in the Executive.

These will comprise two members for each of the two largest parties and one for each of the three next-largest parties in the Northern Ireland Executive, all as measured by their number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The remaining eight members of the Commission will be drawn from outside of government.

The report and recommendations will be agreed by a majority of the overall Commission, including at least five of the seven members appointed by party leaders.

Its remit will focus on flags and emblems and, as required, broader issues of identity, culture and tradition, and seek to identify maximum consensus on their application.

In its work, it will be guided by the principles of the existing Agreements including parity of esteem.

As the Commision's work may touch on expressions of sovereignty and identity, it may consult the UK and Irish Governments.

Parades

16. Based on the considerable level of agreement in the Party Leader Talks, earlier this year, the UK Government proposes that