My sister tells a lovely story of driving one of her young grandsons to a cousin's party. He had just learned the conversational art of speaking in sentences. She inquired if he had thought of a present for his cousin. There was a thoughtful pause. "What her not got what her want?" he asked.
This is a wonderful question, getting right to the heart of the matter. It has relevance in any setting. It sprang to my mind recently when listening to politicians discussing the most recent issues causing them angst. One of the current crises is the proposal to stand down the Royal Irish Regiment. On the face of it, the issue of the RIR should be a fairly straightforward and logical one. The regiment was formed as an internal home guard to deal directly with civil conflict arising out of the Troubles. It would seem fairly obvious that once the serious paramilitary troubles had reduced significantly, the regiment would no longer have cause to exist, unless needed overseas or unless requested to become part of the permanent garrison provided for Northern Ireland. Job done and now, thankfully, surplus to requirements.
This state of affairs is not uncommon in the modern, hard-but-prosperous capitalist world. Only the old communist approach believed in continuing to keep people in employment even when there was no longer need for their services. Nevertheless it is sad when anyone loses his/her job because the goods produced are no longer wanted.
Indeed in this country almost every day we hear of textile workers and skilled engineers tell us that being made redundant is a harsh experience.
In the case of the RIR however while the loss of jobs is individually painful I assumed, obviously naively, that the reason for reduction in their need is one for rejoicing.
We no longer need armies daily on the streets to protect us. The advent of peace has rendered these skills unnecessary. Isn't it beyond dispute that this is good news not bad?
But what is the response? Do we pat ourselves on the back for collectively being able to bring about a more peaceful phase in this beleaguered country's history? Do we pool our expertise in sensitively standing down or redeploying those soldiers who were first employed for a very specific purpose and are no longer needed here?
Do we support the prime minister and use the reduction in RIR as heavy leverage to pressurise for a similar reduction in illegally held guns and ammunition among republican and loyalist paramilitaries?
How can anyone make a case for keeping an army on the streets that we don't need anymore?
What is this determination to make problems when, on the face of it, none really exist?
To use the profound question of my great-nephew, what have the unionists not got that they want? And could they please tell us.
There are those of a cynical and negative mindset who will tell us that they want to return to the past, to the time when the RUC and the UDR/RIR were firmly in control and in power and that the disappointment is that the IRA refuse to come out fighting again. There are people who will tell us that the Protestant people can't stomach reconstituted paramilitaries – even those elected by democratic mandate – and that a future of direct rule is infinitely preferable to ever having republicans decide on, for example, the future education of Protestant children.
Others will say that the majority of Protestants don't want to share power at all with Catholics of any political opinion and will settle for nothing less than a return to a Protestant land for a Protestant people.
I don't accept that any of these sectarian stereotypes are true, but I do admit to some confusion. Please start an honest dialogue about what you want.
Almost half the population who consider themselves to be Irish nationalists, but who voted wholeheartedly for the Good Friday Agreement await a signal that they have a role to play in the future determination of Northern Ireland. These people feel particularly disenfranchised at the moment. They swallowed hard and accepted compromise.
They have the generosity to admit the good job done by those ministers in our assembly, both by those supporting the agreement and by those implacably opposed to it. They were increasingly enthusiastic about a power sharing Northern Ireland Assembly developing confident self rule in tandem with Scotland and Wales. That said, no-one should presume on their continued positive commitment as they will not live easy again with long-term direct rule. So during this stocktaking time can we ask again – what have you not got that you really want?
