Episode 75 – Northern Ireland: The Constitutional Conversation.

In this episode, Professor Colin Harvey reflects on the constitutional arrangement here in Northern Ireland with Emer Smyth, a Master of Laws student at QUB. At the end, Colin is asked five quickfire questions about himself – the answers can only be one word or one sentence.

In this episode we cover: – The Good Friday Agreement – its rights-based and constitutional promises. ( the Agreement itself can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-belfast-agreement

The Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. You can follow the activity of the Ad Hoc Committte on a Bill of Rights here: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2017-2022/ad-hoc-committee-on-a-bill-of-rights/

& the Northern Ireland Human Right’s Commission’s advice to the British Government on a Bill of Rights can be accessed here: https://www.nihrc.org/publication/category/Bill-of-Rights?

Brexit & the European Union – the implications of Brexit for Northern Ireland & how Brexit alters the debate in that if there were a referendum on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and people voted for re-unification, Northern Ireland would automatically rejoin the EU.

Colin Harvey’s paper (mentioned in the episode) with Barrister Mark Bassett can be accessed here: https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/the-eu-and-irish-unity-planning-and-preparing-for-constitutional-

The South/Republic of Ireland – how that factors into the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. – The role of academics in the constitutional conversation.