Plans for the 60-member Civic Forum to be set up under the Belfast Agreement will be announced in the Northern Ireland Assembly today by the First and Deputy First Ministers, Mr David Trimble and Mr Seamus Mallon.
The final report on new political institutions was agreed on Friday and will be presented to the Assembly today. Mr Mallon and Mr Trimble say the forum must be "fully operational no later than six months after the appointed day of devolution". It will comprise representatives from business, agriculture /fisheries, trade unions, voluntary/community, churches, culture, arts/sport, victims, community relations and education. The members will "act as a consultative mechanism on social, economic and cultural matters". Nominations by the sectors and organisations must be approved by Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon.
The voluntary/community sector will form the biggest representation, with 18 posts available, while the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, the Confederation of British Industry and the Federation of Small Businesses can nominate seven people to represent the business community, including tourism. Several umbrella organisations, including the Northern Ireland Council for the Ulster Farmers' Union, the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers' Association and representatives from organisations in the fishing industry can collectively nominate three. The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Union can put forward seven.
The churches in the North must consult each other to nominate five, while the Northern Ireland Arts Council and the Northern Ireland Sports Council can nominate two. The Cultural Traditions Group of the Community Relations Council and other major organisations can select four, with two posts going to the Community Relations Council. The University of Ulster and Queen's University should, states the report, form a consortium to nominate two people. Organisations working with victims of the Troubles can nominate two people.
The report states that nominating bodies to the forum should adhere to guidelines covering gender, community background, a geographic spread across Northern Ireland and an age profile including young and old.
The chairperson, yet to be nominated, will be appointed by Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon for a three-year term after consultations. Two vice-chairs will be appointed for a three-year term by forum members. While six people will be appointed by Mr Mallon and Mr Trimble for a three-year term of office, the appointees must retire on "a staggered basis". People must be appointed solely on merit and there must be an openness and transparency in the process, the report states.
The forum will come under the aegis of both Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon, whose offices will provide administrative support, consisting of a secretariat and operating expenses, including the payment of members' expenses and consultancy fees. The forum, with the assistance of the nominated Secretariat, must draw up guidelines on how it plans to operate for the Assembly's approval, and must report every 12 months to the Assembly. Three days have been set aside for debating the report. But it is believed that tomorrow the Assembly will make a determination vote, which needs cross-community support, on the Civic Forum and other issues outlined in the report.