The
Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action |
The
inclusion of civil society in the governance of Northern Ireland is not
new. The community and voluntary sector has been promoting the concept of
participatory democracy for many years. Indeed throughout the years of conflict
successive governments encouraged the community and voluntary sector and
the social partners of business and trades unions to play a more pro-active
role in political life in Northern Ireland. While elected politicians became
preoccupied with constitutional politics, the representatives of civil society
were engaged in the bread and butter issues of everyday life. Civil Society
became an alternative site of politics after direct rule was introduced
in March 1972. This enabled it to play an indispensable role in maintaining
stability throughout the 30 years of the Troubles.
The
European Union recognised the political experience of civil society in
Northern Ireland when it introduced its Special Support Programme for
Peace and Reconciliation in 1994. Since then a new model of participative
democracy has been running in parallel with elected district councils.
Representatives of business, trades unions and community and voluntary
sector organisations have been sitting with political representatives
in district partnership boards designing development plans and determining
funding priorities for local areas.
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