Brendan Smith on the Good Friday Agreement's Everyday Benefits
Brendan Smith addressed the Good Friday Agreement, arguing it carries a clear democratic mandate and that its everyday benefits should be recognised. He defended cross-border cooperation, warned about the British government's nationalities and border bill restricting movement, and urged contributors to put their recollections on record.
Tim's recollections and local references
Brendan Smith praised Tim's accurate recollections and encouraged him to put them on paper for posterity. He welcomed Tim's generous mentions of many people, referred to Dermot Gallagher and meetings at football matches, and recalled the ceasefire in July 1997 and where he was that day, at Tulsa, the final in Clotas.
Mandate to implement the Good Friday Agreement
He stressed the Agreement's strong democratic endorsement, citing the referendum results of 94.4% in the Republic and 71.1% in Northern Ireland. He said the mandate of elected representatives on the island is to implement the Good Friday Agreement and noted it was the only occasion since 1918 when voters on both sides answered the same question on the same day.
All-Ireland economic and social benefits
Brendan Smith highlighted the evolving all‑Ireland economy and the practical benefits that flow from cross-border cooperation. He pointed to job creation by enterprises operating north and south, the daily movement of people accessing services, and key roles filled by people travelling across the border in healthcare, hospitality and other sectors.
Border legislation concerns and call to record history
He expressed concern about the nationalities and border bill introduced by the British government, saying it could restrict movement on the island. He also praised the role of George Mitchell in the talks, noted the usefulness of access to the US administration and senior figures, and urged Tim and other participants to put their recollections and the Agreement's modus operandi on the record for future generations.
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It's great to have you here, Tim, and I hope that you put your recollections, which are obviously very accurate, that you put them on paper for the future, because far too often we read so-called history books that we can see the inaccuracies ourselves, so it would be very important that a person like yourself, who has no agenda, only recalling the facts, and that you made such a contribution, and you were very generous in your mention of so many other people, and you mentioned quite rightly the people you were exist, your list of people was not exhaustive, and I think you emphasise that, and I'm very glad that you mentioned Dermot Gallagher, after Dermot left the public service, I used to meet him the odd time at football matches, still holding the candle for Leitrim, yes, in Park, Sean McJear, in Breffery Park, and elsewhere, and you also mentioned the ceasefire in July 1997, I remember where it was that day, at Tulsa, the final in Clotas, which Kevin won, of course, was very important, for the record, we'll never forget that, we don't win enough of them, but your county's on a high, with Hurley at the moment, Tim, and it's great to see such a gleticism, and such quality, and skill, and Hurley, could I just make a few points, if I go for the few minutes, clearly, and could I just say, you mentioned the centrality of the two governments have a good close working relationship, and been understanding of each other's problems, and that, and I think if there's not, if there's not that generosity between the different sides, and understanding it, and that synergy of working together, I think we're in real difficulty, one, just Senator, my colleague Senator Niall, just touched on people, we'll mention this time for review of the Good Friday Agreement, whatever, I think we should never forget the fact, it was a very hard one agreement, it was endorsed by 94.4% of the people in our state, by 71.1% of the people in Northern Ireland, and that was at a time when the DUP were opposing it, so it was, so, it, one overwhelming endorsement from the people of this country, and the one thing I, that I say is, the mandate that all of us have on this island, in politics, is to implement the Good Friday Agreement, it's the only day, since 1918, that we voted on the same question, on the same day, throughout our islands, so I think we have to treasure, and, and all of us hold uppermost in our minds, those of us, who are privileged to be in public life, and to be in elected office, is that we have a mandate to implement that agreement, and we know there are difficulties at the minute, and unfortunately there are aspects of the Good Friday Agreement that are not working, and we, we can, we can rehash why that's happening, and when, when that's not the purpose of our exercise today, but one thing I think that we are, that we miss out on the narrative at the present time, and it concerns me a bit, is, that we don't have in our commentary the huge positives for all of this island, from the workings of the Good Friday Agreement today, and I think of the all Ireland economy, that is evolving, and it is growing, without any electioneering, or any political sloganeering, or any flags being waved, people, you mentioned about business groups, have, have talked down in the context of all Ireland development, but the people who create the jobs, the enterprises themselves, they have gone on and created the jobs, north and south, and on an all Ireland basis, and it's great today that, that we have such a movement of people, north, south, south, north, working and, in accessing services, and you know, the, the fact that the nationalities and border bill introduced by the British government is of concern to us, it's of concern to us, because we don't want restriction of movement of people on this island, and when I see in my own constituency, two of the southern Ulster counties, I see the movement of people, north, south, and a daily base, and I see so many people, who, who, who have not, who are not, who have not Irish or British citizenship, travelling across the border, working in key jobs, be it healthcare, hospitality, or whatever, and I think that's a mark of the success of, of, of the Good Friday Agreement, in that we have that economic development, which has benefited every parish throughout our island, so I think, at times, we need to reflect on the huge benefits that we derive on a daily basis from the Good Friday Agreement, but just in conclusion, I, I, I hear very much what, what Tim says in relation to the role of George Mitchell as well, it was inspirational that he was chosen as chair, he had huge access to the administration in America, he was one of the senior political figures, and I'm sure that was useful when calls had we made President Clinton and Senator Kennedy and others, but I just say that I sincerely hope that you and colleagues like you put on, on record, your recollections of how the Good Friday Agreement came about, its modus operandi, and, and the many benefits that all of us enjoy from that great work undertaken by governments and political parties at that time. Thank you, Akahiri.
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