By Debbie McGoldrick

NORTHERN Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain, confident that Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will finally agree to share power in a devolved Northern Ireland government by a March 26 deadline, is urging Irish Americans to shift from political to economic activism given the historic changes that have taken root in the North during the past 18 months.

Speaking to the Irish Voice at the British Consulate in New York on Monday, Hain said Irish American input has been “invaluable” in creating and sustaining the peace process, and that a “new era” is about to take root which “isn’t about getting the politicians to deal, it’s about helping to get investment pouring in, to help create the kind of success north of the border, in terms of prosperity, that has happened south of the border.”

“The support for Northern Ireland and all the politicians on the island of Ireland after March 26 is going to be just as great,” he added. “They are going to be facing huge challenges. Northern Ireland’s economy is not sustainable in its present form.”

Hain maintains that the island of Ireland should be looked at as an economic unit, regardless of constitutional separation, “because when you are facing China and India, with a billion people each, the island of Ireland is a small economy together, and there are great opportunities for maximizing through cooperation. And I think we’ll need a lot of help from our friends in Irish America.”

Given the significant number of American corporations in the Irish Republic, Hain maintains that working in cooperation with Dublin, some of these firms may seek opportunities to outsource some jobs to the North, or establish subsidiaries and joint ventures.

“This will require not charity from American business, but hard-headed investment because there are great opportunities in Northern Ireland,” Hain says.

The North’s economy is poised to blossom, he feels, because of the shifting political landscape that has come about primarily because of events since July of 2005, when the IRA announced the end of its armed campaign and agreed to eliminate its weapons.

The final step that Hain maintains will result in devolved government at Stormont was taken last month, when a Sinn Fein convention voted overwhelmingly to endorse the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Now, Hain says, Unionists have run out of excuses not to share power with Sinn Fein, the North’s largest Nationalist party.

When asked if he sees any obstacles with the March 7 elections and the creation of a new government on March 26, Hain replied, “No I don’t. Provided (Sinn Fein) continues to deliver. There is still a deep seated lack of trust by Unionists on whether Sinn Fein will actually deliver on the ground, and by Republicans there is deep distrust that the DUP will ever share power with them.

“Provided that delivery continues, as I think it will on support for policing and the rule of law and the courts, I don’t think there’s any reason or any excuse left for the DUP not to share power. I think the leadership of the DUP are ready to do the deal provided there is delivery.”

Hain was steadfast in his praise of Sinn Fein for the “historic” steps the party has taken to bring the peace process to this point.

“People have said that the IRA would never give up its armed campaign, and they never would decommission their weapons, and they’d never sign up to policing,” Hain said.

“And now they’ve done all those things. And they are delivering. Gerry Adams has been explicit that people cooperate, and that Republicans should be encouraged to join the police.

“They need to continue to deliver on their promises on policing and the rule of law, but what mustn’t be done, which has been a tendency of some Unionists to do, is set an obstacle for Sinn Fein to clear, only to set another one, and another one. Sinn Fein has shifted mountains.”

Should something happen to thwart the creation of devolved government on March 26, Hain said the Northern Ireland Assembly would be dissolved. “There is no middle ground, no halfway house, no fence for anyone to sit on,” he said.

“The legislation is clear. If you don’t have a power sharing executive up and running by March 26 then Stormont shuts down.”

Hain was due to travel to Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday for meetings with Bush administration officials, including new Northern Ireland envoy Paula Dobriansky, and politicians on Capitol Hill.

He denied a recent report by syndicated columnist Robert Novak that presidential contender Senator John McCain was asked by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to put pressure on DUP leader Ian Paisley to do a deal with Sinn Fein.

“He was not enlisted,” Hain said. “He did talk to Ian Paisley, but that was his own initiative. It was a matter for him and his interest in Northern Ireland. The interest of all the leading politicians in America is welcome.”

When asked about the issue of a possible amnesty for “on the runs,” those paramilitary members convicted of crimes in Northern Ireland who escaped prison terms, Hain said there were no plans in the works.

He pointed to legislation he introduced in the British Parliament in the winter of 2005, at the request of Sinn Fein, which would have provided for amnesty, but there was such a political outcry from both the SDLP, the North’s second largest Nationalist party, and the Unionists that the bill was withdrawn.

“It was hugely controversial and frankly in Parliament there was very few people supporting it,” Hain said. “Sinn Fein decided they could no longer support it, having asked us to do it. I’m not going to go back to Parliament and ask for it again. You would be greeted with absolute derision.”

With regard to a possible changing of the oath of allegiance to the Queen that members of British Parliament must take a vow that has prevented Sinn Fein members from taking their seats at Westminster Hain said he doesn’t see that oath being changed for now.

“Nor have we been asked to,” he said. “I think it’s a shame that Sinn Fein aren’t there to argue their corner. I understand why. They clearly have a political tradition and I understand that.

“At the moment Sinn Fein have agreed a clear pledge to join the Assembly and for support for policing and the rule of law. It’s more important that they focus on getting power sharing off the ground and make that work. As for as thereafter, who knows?”