Anti-Terrorism Law and Normalising Northern Ireland

"The Northern Ireland peace process has been heralded by those who participated in it as a successful example of transformation from a violent conflict to a peaceful society. However, the Good Friday Agreement ('the Agreement') negotiated by the British and Irish governments and the Northern Irish political parties did not in fact represent the end of the peace process; instead it offered a template through which Northern Ireland could reach a sustained peace. That template presented a programme for the return to normality of Northern Ireland. This book explores whether Northern Ireland is still an outlier from the rest of the UK, or whether the Agreement's plan for Northern Ireland has been fully realised.The book examines the implementation of the Northern Ireland peace process as a whole. However, its main focus is on the impact of new types of terrorism, and government responses to that new terrorism, on the process of normalising Northern Ireland. The internal and external factors that have impeded Northern Ireland's transformation from an exceptional part of the UK to one that is consistent with the political and societal features of the other regions are analysed. It also considers the normalisation of 'post-conflict' Northern Ireland in the context of the expansion of anti-terrorism legislation for international terrorism in the whole of the UK. In doing so the book highlights the continuing use of exceptional anti-terrorism laws in Northern Ireland outside of the emergency for which they were originally intended, as well as revealing the extent to which Northern Ireland's past anti-terrorism laws have been re-enacted as permanent, non-emergency legislation for the whole of the UK. The book thus demonstrates the difficulties that transitional or post-conflict states face in attempting to wind back extraordinary counter-terrorism policies after periods of violence have been brought to an end"-- "The Northern Ireland peace process has been heralded by those involved as a successful example of transformation from a violent conflict to a peaceful society. This book examines the implementation of the Belfast Agreement in Northern Ireland, and evaluates whether its goal to establish a normal, peaceful society has been fully realised. Using the political and legal status of England, Scotland and Wales as a comparison, Jessie Blackbourn evaluates eight aspects of Northern Ireland which the Agreement aimed to normalise: the constitutional status of Northern Ireland, the devolution of power, decommissioning, the removal of emergency laws, demilitarisation, police reform, criminal justice reform, and paramilitary prisoners. The book highlights the historical context which gave rise to the need for the Agreement to normalise these areas, and assesses the extent to which normalisation has been successfully implemented. By evaluating the implementation of the Belfast Agreement, the book demonstrates the difficulties that transitional or post-conflict states face in attempting to wind back extraordinary counter-terrorism policies after periods of violence have been brought to an end. The book will be of great use to students and researchers concerned with the emergence, evolution and repeal of anti-terrorism laws, and anyone interested in the history of conflict and peacekeeping in Northern Ireland"--