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Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness: I still keep in touch with Ian Paisley
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Shared laughter between the then First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in May 2007
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The Deputy First Minister has revealed he still speaks to Ian Paisley — more than a year after the former DUP leader left office.
“Ian has my mobile number and I have his,” he said. “It’s fair to say we have a good on-going personal relationship.”
Mr McGuinness said he would talk to his ex power-sharing partner “now and again”.
The senior Sinn Fein man said he had phoned Mr Paisley, for example, when requests had come, mostly from sections of the media, requesting them to appear together again.
“I always look back on our period together with great fondness, we had the ability to work together,” he disclosed. “I would speak to him now and again on the telephone — and this is coming from someone who despised Ian Paisley for most of my adult life.
“But during the course of the year when we were in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister it was quite obvious to the public that we had the ability to be cordial and even friendly with each other.”
Mr McGuinness said he believes his former arch-enemy set an example for everybody in our society “about where we need to go”.
“Ian Paisley, if he rings my office, it is answered straight away,” he said.
“Sometimes people come forward with different ideas, mostly from the media, about the prospect that we might do certain things together in terms of interviews and so forth.”
Mr McGuinness insists he has a good — but different — relationship with Peter Robinson
“Peter is a different personality from Ian Paisley but in my time in this office I have always understood the importance of treating people with respect.”
Mr McGuinness said he has good relations with every minister on the Executive, but in the Assembly there are “one or two” SDLP MLAs who do not talk to him.
“If they pass me in the corridor they do not even say hello, even now. I am very philosophical about all of that.
“Peter and I have a good personal relationship and we clearly showed prior to the last meeting of the Executive that we had the ability to crunch down on issues that were a source of division between us.”
While there are “huge challenges” ahead for the Executive, not least in terms of the economy, Mr McGuinness revealed: “There was a batch of issues that had been the source of disagreement and the fact that we were able to agree is something we can take considerable succour from.
“Apart from policing and justice we also cleared quite a number of papers that were presenting some difficulty for us in the run-in to that meeting, but as a result of the effort made by both parties we saw the DUP and Sinn Fein crunch down on a number of issues and reach agreement. I take some comfort from that. Many people out there in the community would wonder in the aftermath of the European election whether or not this process was going to stall or move forward and I think the work by the Executive at the last meeting certainly presents a good omen. But that alone is not enough. We need to keep going, to continue to forge agreements between us.”
He refuses to go into detail but, apart from the policing and justice draft legislation, the meeting also put through rates measures to help households and small businesses, a public consultation on co-ordinated funding for victims and survivors of the Troubles and planning policy on renewable energy, as well as regional transportation and an energy ‘action plan’.
Mr McGuinness recalls what he views as a key moment when he and Mr Robinson visited the Press Association offices in central Belfast last Christmas.
“Normally we are driven right up to the door, but the streets were thronged and I couldn’t get up to the door with people coming up and telling me they were from the Shankill, Rathcoole or Lambeg and saying ‘can I shake you hand’ and ‘youse are doing a great job’. These were not people who had converted to republicanism but that clearly showed me that, yes, there is diminishing opposition but the overwhelming majority want to see these institutions working, though working better.”
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Comments
24 Comments
In the darkest days of the troubles (early '70s) I remember watching a panel discussion on the local Belfast TV newshow.
The pundits fought the bit out over every topic. In fact it made depressing television. The topic of integrated schools came up as the only possible long term solution for peace in the future.
That is were the show became quite bizzare. ALL the pundits agreed it was the only way forward yet they again All agreed it couldn't be done.
It's still the only way forward yet we're really still looking for reasons not to do it.
Posted by billg | 23.08.09, 21:23 GMT
"Unfortunately I fear Northern Ireland will never change - It will always be a backward place lagging behind the rest of Europe. Attidudes need to change. I'm for a United Ireland but I respect anyone who believes in the Union. Hate is a nasty word"
I think I'm safe in saying that the same goes for almost everyone in the Republic. We'd love to see Ireland reunited, if that's what the majority of people there want, but at the end of the day constitutional questions come second to the most important thing, living and operating as a normal society.
Posted by Serge | 22.08.09, 18:46 GMT
It always warmed the cockles of my heart to see Martin and Ian work together so professionally and cordially in their respective offices. Let's not let doom and gloom merchants like Jim Allister hold the inter-personal relationships that exist between the First and Deputy-First minister to ransom.
Posted by Tony Kenny | 22.08.09, 10:02 GMT
I made a mistake. My comment should have read"if it is obvious to most people to have intergrated education how come it still does not exist"? Read twice then POST!
Posted by RMS | 20.08.09, 14:33 GMT
I find this story totally refreshing aint it great this wee Country and long may it last well done both parties.
Posted by Martin | 20.08.09, 10:09 GMT
TJ and Andy,if it is obvious to most people to have intergrated education how come it still exists? What you are stating is that Northern Ireland is not a democracy,or worse still it is under the influence of the two main religions. May tomorrow's children be educated together regardless of religious belief.
Posted by RMS | 20.08.09, 01:58 GMT
Pantip, I once met your husband ( I think ) in an Irish bar in Bangkok and we got on great. We didn't discuss politics but he might be suprised to know that I am a republican, but left my prejudices behind when I left Ireland to live in Thailand.
Posted by john | 20.08.09, 00:18 GMT
They were a good team! Surprisingly!
Posted by napper | 19.08.09, 17:32 GMT
Tony, I really don't think hatred is something which the Northern Irish have a monopoly on. Much of Europe, East & West, has many examples of how hatred exists and is alive and kicking. Belgium, for example, may well tear itself apart before too much longer, the independence desires of Eta, the self-destruction of the former Yugoslavia are only a few examples.
Yes, we have much to do, must keep trying and moving forward, I don't think we should so glibly dismiss our achievements to date.
Posted by Alan Law | 19.08.09, 16:36 GMT
marks nemisis
It would appear that a break from these pages has done little to help concerning your problem of making comments that actually pertain to the story in question. Any excuse to peddle your tired and paranoid anti Irish views.
Posted by mark's nemesis nemesis | 19.08.09, 16:31 GMT
Every time I see those grinning faces it makes me feel a little sick when I think of the people who died and were maimed and I can't help asking why they could not talk to each other in the first place. The sad truth is that, though it is wonderful to have peace, no amount of talking and accord will bring back those who were slaughtered and will never come back to their families.
Posted by JaneSt | 19.08.09, 16:31 GMT
I agree with all the comments here to a greater or lesser degree. We should also consider the families of those murdered. Perhaps they have a right to feel hatred after having a loved one snatched away and who are we to criticise if that is how they feel. Ultimately hate is negative, but if that is how someone feels at a moment in time, fair enough. It is better to feel a negative emotion than to carry out a negative action such as murder.
Posted by Cliff | 19.08.09, 15:48 GMT
Andy | 19.08.09, 10:36
Totally agree Andy but some folk on both sides do not want to see something that is obvious to most people.
Posted by T J McClean | 19.08.09, 15:13 GMT
When I don't like someone, it's a sure sign I need to get to know them better. A very positive stance from Mr Mc Guninness.
Posted by Fair play | 19.08.09, 14:33 GMT
Unfortunately I fear Northern Ireland will never change - It will always be a backward place lagging behind the rest of Europe. Attidudes need to change. I'm for a United Ireland but I respect anyone who believes in the Union. Hate is a nasty word
Posted by Tony | 19.08.09, 13:56 GMT
The dying days of the Ontario Conservative premier Bill Davis anounced he was giving full funding to Catholic schools. ( the were fully funded up to grade nine) high school starts in grade ten. The conservatives had been successfully in power for forty years. The party was soundly deafeated in the next election. It took them 15 years to regroup. Only to put in a premier with a common sense revolution. Where people couldn't see the common sense.They are out again
Posted by fred needham | 19.08.09, 13:55 GMT
I recall an interview I saw on TV in New York City in the early 80s in which Ian Paisley stated: "Under no circumstances would I even speak to [Taoiseach] Charlie Haughey". The recent Paisley-McGuiness partnership has been beneficial, not only to the North, but to the rest of Ireland - also to Britain.
Posted by Seán Mac Curtáin | 19.08.09, 12:59 GMT
Being a Unionist or Nationalist is just a political preference, it is a shame that people here make it a way of life, it is NOT the be all and end all, inside we are still all the same. I find it quite sad that Pantips Husband still caries this hatred and unfortunately there are many others, Unionist, Nationalist, Loyalist and Republican who are exactly the same.
Posted by Unionist | 19.08.09, 10:55 GMT
It's funny how these men from opposing camps actually seem to like each other; once they had to work together, started talking and got to know each other.
I wonder would it have taken them as long to get to know each other had they been educated together in a non sectarian school system?
The educational apartheid which exists in NI allows labels to be attached to people. Pantip says her husband hates 'Republicans'; does he actually know any, as individuals instead of part of a faceless group he can stick a label on?
A shared education is one step on the path to a shared future.
Posted by Andy | 19.08.09, 10:36 GMT
Mr McGuinness (and others in his party) has been on to a nice little earner while masquerading as a party determined to somehow unite NI and the ROI.
His ability to pull the wool over the eyes of folk who vote for his party on the basis that they will one day deliver a UI, has to be applauded. He (and others in SF) are masters at fanning the dying embers of a possible UI - drumming up a news story or a press conference in relation to this every so often. We've all seen it!
Posted by mark's nemesis | 19.08.09, 09:29 GMT
24 Comments