Stepping Stones A Strategy of the Parties of Irish Nationalism

An agreement in principle that there should be a joint Nationalist strategy; An agreement in principle that peace can only come with the free, independent and democratic consent of the Irish people; An agreement in principle that the aim of the strategy should be to design and create a New Ireland with a new Constitution; An agreement in principle that the Irish people as a whole should design this new Constitution in unfettered dialogue amongst themselves; An agreement that the Irish people consist of two traditions, Unionist and Nationalist; An agreement in principle that consent must be two-fold in nature, requiring agreement from both Unionists and Nationalists; An agreement in principle that this two-fold consent can only be achieved by political dialogue; An agreement in principle that the framework for dialogue would be a Constitutional Conference that would sit on a semi-permanent basis until final agreement about Ireland's future had been reached. Membership of the Conference would be through direct election and it was hoped that both Unionist and Nationalist parties would attend. The British, the Irish government, Sinn Fin, other Irish Nationalists and the Unionists would agree the arrangements for the Conference. An agreement in principle that the British would withdraw from the central decision-making process in Northern Ireland; An agreement in principle amongst Sinn Fin and the other Nationalist parties that they would agree to try to persuade the British to make a declaration containing five points: That they will set aside the 1920 Government of Ireland Act when agreement is reached in the Constitutional Conference; That they will say they have no selfish interest in remaining in Ireland; That they will facilitate the Constitutional Conference; That they will not interfere in or dictate to the Conference; That if there is an agreement then the British will implement it in law. An agreement in principle that an advisory committee representing the leadership of the main Nationalist parties be set up to examine how best to implement and propagandise this strategy and win support for it in Ireland and abroad; An agreement in principle, although couched in more discreet language, that Sinn Fin would try to win approval for the strategy from the IRA.