Published: Thursday, 4th February, 2010 11:53am

Fundamental questions about working together

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As journalists struggle to get worthwhile information from the stalemate in talks over the devolution of policing and justice, a standard tactic for many broadcasters appears to be the "vox pop".

That is, send the cameras out and ask people in the street for their opinion; this ranges from a frustrated "tell them to get on with it" to an extremely exasperated "get rid of the lot of them."

One is tempted, however, to say to the people, YOU voted them in.

As puerile as this whole exercise appears to be, however, it does raise the serious point about the potential of the general public disengaging from politics.

And that would be dangerous at this point in our history.

Peace has been achieved by convincing most people that the politics of power-sharing can work; and if it doesn't it will only serve to reinforce those in society who refuse to let and try to bring down the fledgling peace by violent means.

The fact is that the vast majority of politicians, never mind people, do agree that the devolution of policing and justice is desirable.

But the DUP in particular is having some difficulty in convincing some of its rank and file that this particular deal is a good one; no doubt the proximity of elections and the fact that some are looking over their shoulder at Jim Allister's TUV are playing into the equation.

The fact is that we still want Stormont to work. There are difficulties in education to be resolved, health budgets have been kicked around like the proverbial political football, people are losing their jobs and that needs to be addressed. And yet, despite all its imperfections, people still want devolved institutions to keep power in local hands.

Unionists, of all hues, face particularly difficult challenges. Recent developments have, unfortunately seen Unionists looking to past solutions. The Ulster Unionist arrangement with the Conservatives left many uneasy even within the party. Now the UUP and DUP have engaged in talks with the Orange Order; in this pluralist society what message does that send out to potential Catholic supporters of the Union or, indeed young people who do not want politics tied formally to one particular strand of one religion?

For power-sharing to work, there must be a recognition that both traditions must have a stake here.

Not easy - nobody ever said it would be.