Pledge of Office

Der Pledge of Office ist der Amtseid der Nordirischen Minister inklusive des First Ministers und des Deputy First Ministers. Der Eid wird im Belfast Agreement, gemeinhin als Karfreitagsabkommen bekannt, im Strand One Section 23 gefordert und ist niedergeschrieben im Annex A. Zudem ist der Pledge of Office auch im Ministerial Code Section 1.4 in abgewandelter Form niedergeschrieben.

Der Wortlaut lautet gemäß dem Belfast Agreement folgendermaßen:

“(a) to discharge in good faith all the duties of office;

(b) commitment to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means;

(c) to serve all the people of Northern Ireland equally, and to act in accordance with the general obligations on government to promote equality and prevent discrimination;

(d) to participate with colleagues in the preparation of a programme for government;

(e) to operate within the framework of that programme when agreed within the Executive Committee and endorsed by the Assembly;

(f) to support, and to act in accordance with, all decisions of the Executive Committee and Assembly;

(g) to comply with the Ministerial Code of Conduct.”

Es folgt ein Code of Conduct:

“Ministers must at all times:

• observe the highest standards of propriety and regularity involving impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relationship to the stewardship of public funds;

• be accountable to users of services, the community and, through the Assembly, for the activities within their responsibilities, their stewardship of public funds and the extent to which key performance targets and objectives have been met;

• ensure all reasonable requests for information from the Assembly, users of services and individual citizens are complied with; and that Departments and their staff conduct their dealings with the public in an open and responsible way;

• follow the seven principles of public life set out by the Committee on Standards in Public Life;

• comply with this code and with rules relating to the use of public funds;

• operate in a way conducive to promoting good community relations and equality of treatment;

• not use information gained in the course of their service for personal gain; nor seek to use the opportunity of public service to promote their private interests;

• ensure they comply with any rules on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality that might be offered;

• declare any personal or business interests which may conflict with their responsibilities. The Assembly will retain a Register of Interests. Individuals must ensure that any direct or indirect pecuniary interests which members of the public might reasonably think could influence their judgement are listed in the Register of Interests;”

Der Pledge of Office ersetzt den Oath of Allegiance, wie es das House of Commons kennt. Dieses Vorgehen wurde gewählt, damit nationalistische Minister keinen Eid auf die Britische Krone schwören müssen. Dies zeigt jedoch auch, dass Nordirland ein Binationalismus zwischen der Irischen Insel und dem Vereinigten Königreich ist. Sollte ein Minister den Pledge of Office missachten, droht dieser abgesetzt zu werden.

Es wurde auch schon diskutiert, ob andere Parlamente des Vereinigten Königreichs ein ähnliches Konstrukt erhalten sollten. Kevin Brennan hat im House of Commons eine entsprechende Petition für Wales mit Verweis auf das Nordirische Modell vorgelegt.