Opinion

Will of the Irish people cannot be brushed aside

It Is curious that Martin Mansergh (December 4) conflates the functioning of principles within democracy (minority consent, rights etc) with the foundation principles of democracy. In the case of nation states, the foundation of democracy needs to reflect the principle of majority rule (often called national self-determination). Republicanism does, of course, defend minority consent as an essential functioning principle within participative democracy. The point of divergence between republicanism and Mansergh is where he subordinates the democratic right to national self-determination of the Irish people as a whole to the theoretical consent/veto of a smaller section of the people. It is rather absurd that he should then posit the Belfast Agreement as a superior form of Irish democracy precisely because it excludes the people of Ireland as a whole from any democratic expression of their opinion. Dressed up in the language of minority consent, the Belfast Agreement, in fact creates the ascendency of a privileged minority. This is a flaw but it is based upon another, equally significant flaw, namely, that Mansergh's argument regarding minority consent/veto relies largely on the outcome that he prejudges (to be as likely as it is undesirable) from a one Ireland vote ie a united Ireland. He hints at dark consequences such as a violent unionist backlash. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that if we scratch the surface of the Belfast Agreement, we find that terror trumps democracy.

Mansergh is at pains to point out that, under the Belfast Agreement, the people of Ireland as a whole have no democratic legitimacy and no right to vote. So what's the point, he sniffs, as though the Belfast Agreement marked the end of Irish history. The point is that the will of the Irish people cannot be brushed aside and Irish freedom cannot be outlawed by the Belfast Agreement. The people of Ireland are the cornerstone of democracy on this island. One Ireland One Vote is a campaign for recognition of democratic principles and it is building a critical mass of support that will act as a catalyst for political change.

Danny McBreaty

Derry city