The Good Friday Agreement established a major political framework for peace in Northern Ireland. It was agreed upon by the British and Irish governments as well as eight political parties in Northern Ireland. Key aspects of the agreement included establishing a Northern Ireland Assembly with legislative powers, forming a power-sharing Executive Committee, and outlining commitments to human rights, disarmament of paramilitary groups, and the future status of Northern Ireland remaining part of the UK. However, implementation faced challenges including parliamentary crises over the IRA's refusal to disarm and a bank robbery attributed to the IRA.

1. Good Friday Agreement
(Belfast Agreement)

2. What is this?
The GFA was a major political development in
the Northern Ireland peace process of the 1990s. The
present constitutional status of Northern Ireland is
based on that agreement.

3. What is its structure?
The Agreement was made between the British and
Irish governments ("the two Governments") and
eight political parties from Northern Ireland.
The Agreement comprises two elements:
• the legal agreement between the two Governments;
• a more substantive agreement between eight
political parties and the two Governments.

4. What did it propose to do?
• The election of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which has legislative
powers.
• Formation of the Executive Committee, composed of 12 ministers of the
two major religions to perform the functions of government in Northern
Ireland.
• Creation of the Intergovernmental Council of the British Isles, including
representatives of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Ulster, Scotland and
Wales.
• Amendment to the Constitution of the Republic of Ireland in relation to
the territorial claims to Northern Ireland.
• Disarmament of paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland over the next two
years after the referendum, to be followed by fulfillment of the promise to
release prisoners from the prisons of Northern Ireland.
• Ulster police reform in accordance with the plan of Patten.

5. What is the status of Northern Ireland?
The agreement reached was that Northern Ireland would
remain part of the United Kingdom until a majority of the
people of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland
wished otherwise. Should that happen, then the British and
Irish governments are under "a binding obligation" to
implement that choice.

6. What’s about human rights?
The Agreement affirmed a commitment to "the
mutual respect, the civil rights and the religious
liberties of everyone in the community".
The British government committed to incorporate
the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR)
into the law of Northern Ireland and to the
establishment of a Northern Ireland Human Rights
Commission.

7. Were there problems?
• Parliamentary crisis
• - first: February 11, 2000. Reason: the IRA’s refusal to
disarmament;
• - second: October, 2002. Reason: scandal in the Government
(for the first time!);
• + 2004, the largest bank robbery in the UK => a
tension provoking by the IRA