Friday 1 December

Larne continues to be the focus of sectarian attacks on the minority Catholic community in the town. One family leaves the area and threats are issued against others.
The resignation of John Hume as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which was announced in August, takes effect from today. [He will continue as party leader and retain his seat in the House of Commons and the European Parliament.] The SDLP's Annie Courtney is expected to be the new member to represent Mr Hume’s assembly constituency. She is expected to take up her seat next week. 
The Sinn Féin chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, scathingly attacks the Northern Ireland Secretary for pushing the peace process into a crisis that could endanger the Belfast Agreement. He accuses him of dishonouring British government commitments, taking the unionists' side and trying to blame republicans at every turn in the row over devolution and IRA decommissioning.

Saturday 2 December

Some 3,000 Apprentice Boys march through the centre of Derry this afternoon [to commemorate the closing of the city's gates more than 300 years ago] in the absence of any protests from nationalists. There is, however, some trouble as members of a loyalist band break ranks at the end of the parade and clash with the RUC, resulting in injuries to a number of officers.
Belfast's Odyssey Arena, on the banks of the River Lagan, opens for the first time when a full house of 7,500 spectators watch the Belfast Giants ice hockey team lose 1-2 to Ayr Eagles. The new arena will stage a variety of events from boxing to pop concerts. It will also be the home of Ireland's first Hard Rock Cafe, which is due to open in the complex next year.
Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme, Séamus Mallon says that nationalists will not be satisfied with “British Government spin over policing reforms.” He again demands to see the Government’s implementation plan before making any recommendation about whether young Catholics should join the new force.
The BBC is criticised for planning to screen Rebel Heart, a drama by the Belfast-born novelist and screenwriter, Ronan Bennett, who has said that he would not turn in the Omagh bombers if he knew their identity to the RUC, which he described as a discredited force.
A ceremony is held in Ballymena to remember the United Irishmen [Thomas Archer and eight others who were Presbyterians] who were hanged there after the 1798 rebellion, during which they took over the town for three days. Among the attendance are three Ulster Unionist and two DUP councillors, as well as an SDLP representative, and Dr John Robb from the New Ireland movement. 
Speaking ahead of President Clinton's visit to Belfast later this month, David Trimble urges the US President to use his influence with republicans to deliver decommissioning. He adds that Sinn Féin and the IRA as well as loyalists have failed on peace. 
Gerry Adams tells a commemoration in south Armagh for four IRA men killed in the 1970s that the British Government’s failure to honour its commitments is undermining the peace process.

Sunday 3 December

A married couple and their 12-year-old daughter are the target of a sectarian attack in Coleraine in Co. Derry. Houses in the area are evacuated while British Army bomb disposal experts make safe a pipe bomb that was thrown at the back door of the family’s house at about 7 pm but did not explode. In a separate incident, a man and two young boys escape injury when a pipe bomb, which was thrown through the kitchen window of their house at the Old Glen Arm Road in Larne at about 7.30 pm, failed to explode. 

Monday 4 December

As efforts intensify to find a way around the current difficulties over the failure of the British Government to fully implement the Patten Report recommendations, demilitarisation, decommissioning, and unionist sanctions against Sinn Féin, the two governments are expected to prepare a package to break the deadlock. 
While John Hume holds talks with the Taoiseach in Dublin on the implementation of the North’s new legislation on policing, the Northern Ireland Secretary meets Tom Constantine, the man tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Police (NI) Bill, at Stormont. [Critics argue, however, that Constantine’s remit, according to the Patten Report, was to oversee the implementation of the Report, not the implementation of the Bill.]
Speaking in Canberra, Northern Ireland’s Sinn Féin Education Minister, Martin McGuinness, scathingly attacks Peter Mandelson as a “peace wrecker rather than a peacemaker.” He adds: “If the present crisis is to be resolved I very much doubt whether Peter Mandelson has the integrity to recognise this, much less acknowledge it. Not only has he not honoured commitments given to nationalists and republicans, he has pursued with enthusiasm a pro-unionist agenda ever since, opposing demilitarisation, undermining the Patten recommendations and taking power to fly the Union flag over the departments of nationalist and republican ministers.”

Tuesday 5 December 

In a surprise statement to RTÉ News, the IRA says it is still prepared to put its weapons beyond use provided the British Government fully implements the Patten proposals on reform of policing in Northern Ireland. An IRA source confirms there is a large degree of anger and frustration among the IRA activists and supporters at the failure of the British Government to honour its commitments on the peace process and its continuing support for David Trimble's policy of excluding Sinn Féin Ministers from the various cross-border institutions.
In tonight's statement, the IRA [who has not had direct talks with General John de Chastelain, head of the International Commission on Decommissioning since June, because of the British Government’s failure to deliver fully on police reform in accordance with the Patten proposals and the slow pace of demilitarisation in the six counties] outlines its position on the current state of the peace process. They hold out the hope of going back into new talks, but only if the British Government sticks by the pledges which it made seven months ago in relation to police reform and demilitarisation. 
For the full text of Irish Republican Army (IRA) Statement on the Arms Issue, 5 December 2000, go to: http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/ira051200.htm 
Speaking before talks in Dublin with the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Peter Mandelson, rejects today's claim by the IRA that the British Government reneged on its commitments in the peace process.
In a response to the IRA statement, a spokeswoman says that the British Prime Minister will be meeting the Taoiseach in the margins of the Nice summit this week and Bill Clinton next week and that the British are “well aware of the difficulties.” 
The Ulster Unionist Arts Minister, Michael McGimpsey, describes the IRA claim it has honoured its commitments as a “travesty of the truth. They made a series of promises, they have not actioned those promises, they have not honoured those promises they made to the people of Northern Ireland.” He says the statement is a “form of excuse” and has been issued in anticipation of Mr Clinton’s visit. 
Trevor Kell, 35, a Protestant taxi-driver from the Torrens Drive in the loyalist Oldpark area of north Belfast, is shot dead in his car in Hesketh Road off the Crumlin Road, at about 23.30 GMT.

Wednesday 6 December

The head of the International Commission on Decommissioning, General John de Chastelain, tells reporters in Belfast that the IRA’s latest statement is a helpful move towards resolving the arms impasse and that he is looking forward to work with the IRA on that. He adds that he is confident his international decommissioning body is making positive progress.
Tom Constantine, whose role as Oversight Commissioner has been reduced to measuring how policing reforms are implemented against the legislation that was passed, says it could take up to 10 years before all the proposed changes are in place. [Professor Constantine, 61, is a former director of the US Drug Enforcement Administration. He is also the former chief of police for New York State.]
At about 16.15 GMT, a Catholic taxi driver is seriously injured in a shooting incident outside Park Taxis on the Oldpark Road by a gunman riding a motorcycle. 
A thirty-year-old Catholic building contractor from Limavady in the Dungiven area of Co. Derry, Gary Moore, is shot dead in an attack on the predominantly loyalist Monkstown housing estate in Newtownabbey, north of Belfast at 15.55 GMT. 
A new survey by the British Government’s Statistics and Research Agency finds that 77% of people (as against 67 percent in 1998) now believe the police deal fairly with everyone. Eighty-five percent of Protestants believe in the fairness of the RUC, compared to 64% of Catholics. But, for the first time, slightly more Catholics than Protestants say that they would be willing to join a local group meeting regularly with the police.

Thursday 7 December

In a statement issued in Belfast this morning, the Real IRA denies any involvement in the murder of the Protestant Belfast taxi driver Trevor Kell on Tuesday night. The statement says that at such a delicate time a tit for tat style atmosphere would suit certain organisations in their efforts to attack non-compromising Republicans.
Meanwhile, speaking at Westminster, the North’s First Minister condemns the latest violence in North Belfast and says that suspected loyalist paramilitary involvement is a reminder that the problem is not one-sided. He goes on to say that to achieve the new beginning promised in the Good Friday Agreement, paramilitaries on all sides need “to close up shop.” He adds that he hopes President Clinton’s visit will help produce a result on decommissioning from republicans that is “substantial and not just a vague gesture.” 
In his Christmas message, the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, says that there can be no acceptable level of violence in any civilised country. 
While the Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams accuses loyalist paramilitaries of being responsible for all three gun attacks in the north in the past two days, the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, says there is a distinct possibility the loyalist Ulster Defence Association was behind the two sectarian shootings in which one Catholic workman was killed and another seriously wounded. He adds he also believes republicans are responsible for the killing of the Protestant taxi driver on Tuesday. Reacting angrily to the Chief Constable’s comments, the Sinn Féin Assembly member for North Belfast, Gerry Kelly, accuses him of making groundless assumptions about republican involvement in that shooting and says that he fears there could be further attacks against Catholics by loyalist groups.

Friday 8 December

Writing in the 9 December issue of the English Catholic magazine, The Tablet, the Northern Secretary describes the period between the publication of the Patten Report last year and last month’s completion of the Police Act as “nightmarish.” He calls on Catholic and nationalist leaders to encourage those in their communities to support the new police service.
The IRA, the Real IRA and the INLA all deny any involvement in the murder on 5 December of the Protestant taxi-driver whose funeral takes place in Belfast today.

Saturday 9 December

Sinn Féin says it believes the loyalist Ulster Defence Association (UDA) murdered Gary Moore and tried to murder Paul Scullion in Belfast earlier this week. Speaking at a vigil in North Belfast, the Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly says: “Finger-pointing after the killing of Trevor Kell on Tuesday night led directly to the murder of Gary Moore and the attempted murder of Paul Scullion. There is no doubt that the UDA was behind the killing of Mr Moore and the attempted killing of Mr Scullion.” He goes on to say that he also believes there was RUC collusion in the injuring of Mr Scullion.
Claiming that this week’s killings were sparked off by a British military intelligence dirty-tricks operation, the Progressive Unionist Party leader, Billy Hutchinson, blames MI5 for the murder of the 35-year-old Protestant Trevor Kell.
The Sinn Féin Ard Comhairle holds a long and detailed discussion on the issue of policing in Northern Ireland. Speaking after the meeting, its chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, says that Sinn Féin wants a new policing service and will not settle for anything less. He also welcomes the forthcoming visit to Ireland by the US President, Bill Clinton .
A two-day conference on human rights and equality opens in Dublin. Denis Haughey, an SDLP Stormont junior minister, says that it is the first time the Northern Ireland human rights and equality bodies have met their counterparts in the South on a major stage. He insists that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, not yet two years old, has had an impact in opening up debate. He goes on to say that a forthcoming Northern Ireland Single Equality Bill should ensure that Northern Ireland’s anti-discrimination laws are raised to the best European standards. 

Sunday 10 December

A Protestant taxi-driver is shot at several times in the loyalist Waterside area of Derry City early this morning. His condition is described as critical but stable. A Democratic Unionist Party Assembly member claims the motive was sectarian and that the intended target was a Catholic but that the gunmen shot a Protestant by mistake.

Monday 11 December

Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, David Trimble reaffirms his commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and to power-sharing and says that he is prepared to lift sanctions against Sinn Féin ministers in return for an IRA move on decommissioning. “The IRA must heed the advice of the Catholic hierarchy and the representatives of Nationalism and re-engage with the International Decommissioning Commission to initiate the process of putting all of their weaponry completely and verifiably beyond use. In the context of such a process, I am prepared to lift the sanction I have applied regarding Sinn Féin.”
Speaking at a news conference at Stormont, the North’s Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Dr Sean Farren, announces that the North’s two universities are to receive research grants from the British Government totalling over £20m, which will be matched by the private sector. 
The US Governmant announces that in an effort to promote the peace process in Northern Ireland it will not deport nine Irish nationals who, having been convicted of crimes for activities related to the IRA, escaped from the Maze Prison and entered the US illegally. 

Tuesday 12 December

Speaking in Dublin, President Clinton says that he believes that, by its involvement in the peace process, America has in some tiny way repaid Ireland and its people for the massive gifts they have given to the United States over so many years. He adds that reversal in the process is not an option.
Hillary Clinton, New York’s Senator-elect, announces that she is to convene a meeting of women parliamentarians from the Republic and the North and from England, Scotland and Wales.
Giving evidence on behalf of a man applying for bail in the High Court, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Frank McCoubrey, who represents the Shankill where the loyalist feud erupted, says that the feud is over and that there will be an announcement before long.

Wednesday 13 December

Talks involving Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and the pro-Agreement parties in the North take place at Stormont . Although the talks are separate and private because of the continuing deadlock over decommissioning, President Clinton’s top foreign political advisor says that the meeting has accelerated the pace of negotiations between the North’s politicians.
Speaking before a crowd of 8,000 at the Odyssey Centre in Belfast, President Clinton, says that he believes there is no turning back in the peace process. Acknowledging there are difficulties in sharing power, he insists that the alternative offers nothing. Emphasising that the Patten Report has to be implemented and that there has to be decommissioning, he says these objectives can be met and that his country will do all it can to help. 
For detailed information on the Clinton visit, go to http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/soc.htm#clinton3

Friday 15 December

A lawyer acting for the Stormont health minister Bairbre de Brún tells the High Court in Belfast that by refusing to authorise the two Sinn Féin ministers’ attendance at North-South Ministerial Council meetings, David Trimble is obstructing the work of the Council set up under the Good Friday Agreement.

Saturday 16 December

President Bill Clinton welcomes today’s statement by loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland (the UDA, the Red Hand Commando and the UVF) in which they announce their decision to end their feud, which erupted in August and claimed several lives.

Sunday 17 December

For the second consecutive Sunday, approximately 50 members of the South Armagh Farmers & Residents Committee, a demilitarisation pressure group in South Armagh, occupy a British Army base at Crievekeeran on the Culloville/Crossmaglen road. 

Monday 18 December

The Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, announces that his party is in intense discussions with the British and Irish governments to overcome the impasse in the peace process. 

Tuesday 19 December

Arguing that he has to balance very carefully the calls to dismantle the security installations against the need to protect society, the Northern Secretary tells students at St Malachy’s College in Belfast that there is a hard decision to be made about whether the British Army's security watchtowers in South Armagh should be retained or removed. 
Gerry Adams says that the Castlerea prisoners are covered under the Good Friday Agreement and should benefit from the prisoner early-release scheme now.

Wednesday 20 December

The Court of Appeal in Belfast quashes the conviction of Iain Hay Gordon who was convicted in 1953 of murdering a judge’s daughter, Patricia Curran, at Whiteabbey near Belfast. Iain Hay Gordon has always denied the charge and said his confession of guilt at the time was made under duress. 
Dismissing claims by the Northern Ireland Secretary that the price for making a mistake on border security could be another attack like the Omagh bombing, the Sinn Féin Stormont education minister, Martin McGuinness, calls on the British Prime Minister to live up to commitments he made on demilitarisation in a statement to Northern Ireland’s political parties last May. 

Thursday 21 December

Sinn Féin announces that talks between the party and the British and Irish governments on the issues of policing and demilitarisation have broken down.

Friday 22 December

The IIDC publishes a report which states that it has not yet made any progress on actual decommissioning. In this report, the Commission says that the UVF and the UFF have confimed their commitment to decommissioning and that it is “anxious to explore with the IRA representative their proposal to put arms beyond use and our role in that process.” The report concludes: “We believe it is crucial that we have substantive engagement with the IRA representative as soon as possible, followed by early movement on actual decommissioning by each of the paramilitary groups, if we are to meet the Agreement’s decommissioning requirements by the beginning of June (2001)” [the deadline set out in the Good Friday Agreement].

Monday 25 December 

Tom Benson, the UUP MLA for Strangford, dies aged 71. The first member of the 108-strong Stormont Assembly to die, Mr Benson was on both the education and environment committees. It is expected he will be replaced at Stormont without a by-election through the co-option of another party member.

Wednesday 27 December

As the British Government threatens to place a moratorium on Police Reform unless the nationalist SDLP does not quickly endorse the new Police (NI) Act, the Republic’s Government repeats that plans to reform policing in Northern Ireland are not yet sufficient for nationalists to be encouraged to join.

Sunday 31 December

The Tipperary Peace Committee names President Bill Clinton as the recipient of the Tipperary International Millennium Peace Award in recognition of his work for peace and political stability in the North and throughout the world.