Glencree & Hume Foundation launch Ethical Political Discourse Pledge

4/4/2024: The Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation (Glencree) and The John & Pat Hume Foundation (Hume Foundation) today launched an Ethical Political Discourse Pledge. The Pledge aims to encourage political parties, candidates, party members and the wider public to commit to respectful politics and to positively shape political discourse.

Launched as part of a joint Glencree-Hume Foundation hosted ethical political discourse webinar, the Pledge was presented to Seán Ó'Fearghail, Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil together with Jerry Buttimer, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, and Peter Finnegan, Clerk of the Dáil.

The Ethical Political Discourse Pledge stems from 18 months of engagement by Glencree, through its Public Discourse Project, and the Hume Foundation with current and former political representatives across the island of Ireland and organisations such as the Association of Irish Local Government, the Northern Ireland Local Government Association and the UK-based Jo Cox Foundation. Their shared experiences point to instances where some politicians can no longer conduct local clinics for their constituents, are subjected to persistent abuse online or in person, and their families are subjected to harassment and threats.

With difference in political discourse increasingly experienced as hostile and hateful rhetoric, the Glencree/Hume Pledge underlines the need to respect difference and respectful debate as a positive and healthy feature of public discourse in free societies. The Pledge calls for:

respectful and ethical political and civil discourse which promotes confidence in the political process

the furthering of reconciliation and recognise that wholesome democratic debate must be valued and safeguarded

a diversity of views and voices to engage with and enter politics.

Scan QR Code to sign the Ethical Political Discourse Pledge

Also supporting the launch of the Pledge today were panelists at the webinar and discussion on Let's Talk Respectful Politics for Democracy and Reconciliation including:

Cllr Gail Dunne, Wicklow County Council and President of the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG)

Tommy Moylan, Director AILG

Elaine Lynch, Communications Officer AILG

Cllr Yemi Adenuga, Meath County Council

Cllr Linzi McLaren, Ards and North Down Borough Council

Cathal Berry TD, Member of the Oireachtas Task Force on Safe Political Participation.

#glencree4peace #respectfulpolitics

(l-r) Jerry Buttimer, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann; Joan O'Flynn, Glencree; Seán Ó Fearghail, Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil; Tim Attwood, The John and Pat Hume Foundation; and Peter Finnegan, Clerk of the Dáil.

“Difference is an accident of birth, and it should never therefore be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect it.” John Hume, Nobel Peace Prize address

John Hume, Nobel Peace Prize address