The Celtic Confederation

Introduction
The Celtic Confederation is mainly a cultural confederation for the Celtic Rim of Europe. However, economic cooperation and developments and international lobbies, mostly at the European (Union), are part of the tasks of the confederation together with education and science policy development. Ireland as only sovereign state within this confederation shall sign treaties with the United Kingdom and France to assure their territorial integrity. With this treaty, the UK and France are assured that the confederation is no threat to their territorial integrity. If both nations refuse to sign such a treaty another measure has to be taken to satisfy their anxieties. One is that the Confederation becomes an Irish Foundation with independent Foundations from the Celtic regions in the UK and France.

Proposed Members
Ireland
Northern Ireland (Part of Devolved UK)
Scotland (Part of Devolved UK)
Wales (Part of Devolved UK)
Brittany (Part of Unitary France)


A Confederation

A Confederation is a state form in which the member stated are independent from each other on almost every political issue. Nevertheless, they are united in a loose confederation or a for the benefit of all on mainly International economic, cultural, and military subjects. Therefore, every member can choose its own form of government without the federal government being able to change it. The Celtic Confederation is quite different, the members are in majority part of different states. Only the Irish are have in majority independence, the North Irish are part of the UK and heavily divided. Among the other Celtic Nations the demand for independence is differentiated. It is the strongest in Scotland, where since long a movement for independence has exist. Among the Welch and Britons there are still some movements. A typical part of confederation is a result of the division between multiple nations and that is the form of government. For example, Northern Ireland is partly under Direct Rule of London for the reason that the Protestants and Catholics are not able to rule together. Moreover, Brittany is under central authority of the French national government, but has a Conseil Regional, which is possibly transferable in a government. Following are the structures of government for the five parts of the Confederation (in which I added some wishful groundroot democracy ideals).

Ireland

The Irish can choose for a base level on municipal scale and then work like pyramidal to the top, via old county level to national level. This means that all villages work on county level together and from the counties representatives are sent to Dublin, the seat of the national government. Each county is free to choose between a direct or indirect democracy like is every municipality. The Counties also send the emissaries to the Confederation because this is not a national cause.

Northern Ireland

Since Catholics and Protestants live mainly separated it is very good possible to give them their own communities. These communities directly elect the national authority, which gets a limited mandate. This gives as much freedom as possible to both parties. The national authority sends envoys to the confederation because if this is handed to the dispersed communities, there is a change of internal fights within the parties. This is not beneficial for the peace process.

Wales

Wales is rewarded with an assembly by the devolution laws of the UK. This assembly remains the base of the system. The municipalities shall be the communities sending their representatives to the Assembly. The assembly sends it Representatives to the confederation.

Scotland

In Scotland it is possible to implement a fully network of cooperation bodies. These bodies can be regional based or more mythical based on the old Clans. Then these Clans can for example cooperate on regional level (for example the Highland Region), the regional bodies are elected by the people and send their representatives to the Confederation. Scotland was also rewarded with a own parliament by the devolution of the UK. Though this Parlement has the highest form of autonomy within the UK it doesn't send it's representatives to the Confederation. This is done by the regional councils there Scotland has the largest Celtic population.

Brittany

This region is quite different from the two groups above because it is French. The Celtic language is mainly extinct, but there remains a national feeling represented by a nationalist party. Further, the French constitution is very centralist. This gives little power to regions. The most powerful entity after the central government is the department. The departments 22; Côtes-du-Nord, 29; Finistère, 35; Ille-et-Vilaine and 56: Morbihan form the Region of Brittany. This gives opportunities to networking, the villages elect the department bodies and they elect the regional government. The departments give in some powers to the region but remain the right to send their representatives to the confederation. This is necessary there the lesser Celtic departments shall not hinder the Celtic department of Finistère.


The Confederation

The topmost authority for these Celtic regions shall be a confederate one. Why a confederation and not a federation one could ask? That is since the Scottish, Welch and Northern Irish members are part of the UK and Brittany is part of France. This makes it impossible to form a stronger federation. The confederation shall not be named as such there the UK and France shall object to it. A possible solution to this is that the confederation is formed as a foundation in Ireland, the only independent Celtic nation. The choice for this organisation structure is because that the members (the communities) can choose the board of governors (B.o.G.), which acts as the confederation parliament, and consist out of the representatives. Out of the B.o.G., a board of directors (B.o.D.) is elected. The B.o.D. is the actual government and the members are considered secretaries for every policy the confederation execute. These policy areas are: Celtic Culture & Heritage, Education, Economic Development and Cooperation and Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry and Environmental Conservation. These insist that the B.o.D. has at least six members, for every policy a secretary and a secretary-general, which acts as prime minister. So, what are the objectives for the specific secretaries and the secretary-general?

Secretary-General

This person is the chairperson of the B.o.D., he or she is setting the main outline of policy and acts as secretary of foreign affairs. He represents the Confederation at the European Union and is legitimate to send ambassadors to the EU offices within the policy areas of the confederation. Therefore, its task is to set the policy philosophy of the Confederation and encourage the other secretaries to work within this philosophy. In the international relations, the Confederation is able to use the Irish Embassies. On these Embassies, a Confederation office with representatives of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Brittany cooperate with the Irish Staff.


Secretary of Celtic Culture & Heritage

This person is after the Secretary the most important person in the B.o.D. Its tasks comprehend the encouragement of cultural events for Celts in the Confederation especially and all over the world. Further he or she is the guard of the Celtic heritage, this are historical sites and buildings. Some events organised by the Secretary of Celtic Culture & Heritage are:

The International Celtic Games

Organised by the International Celtic-games Organisation (ICO), these are the Olympics for Celts all over the world. Therefore, not only the Irish, Northern Irish, Scotch, Welch and Bretons are sending their teams, but also teams of the USA (an Irish, Scottish, Welch and Bretons team), Australia, New Zealand and (South) Africa send their teams. At least 21 teams take part of the games. The ICO consists out of the national sports federations of the Confederation members. At this moment, only Ireland has an Olympic committee and perhaps a sport federation. The others shall erect one (although not Olympic because that is a national cause). The games consist mainly of typical Celtic games; Stone throwing, log throwing and hurling. Also regular athletics and typical British games are part of the games as rugby, football, hockey and cricket. Further, there are cultural games for bag piping, sword dancing, poetry, theatre and music. The games are held every two years, first in the summer, then in the winter. The games make a tour via Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany and Northern Ireland. The ICO also organises the International Highland Games, this is mainly the same as the International Celtic Games with two exceptions. It is only open for Confederation members and solely held in Scotland (the Highlands). The International Highland Games are held every year, in the summer, when there are no International Celtic Games.

The CBC

The CBC or Celtic Broadcasting Cooperation is the new pan-Celtic broadcaster. It is a merger between the Scottish BBC and the National Irish Broadcaster. It sends out regionally in the English dialect of the Nation or French and in the Celtic language. It shall implement therefore the new digital techniques so the people can choose the language of their preference. To the Celtic Diaspora it broadcast via the CBC World Service on TV and Radio.


Secretary of Education & Sciences

Education is an important tool for creating a nation. Celts always have been important scientist and always have had a strong national feeling. The British Empire grew thanks to Celtic inventors and philosophers (the Scottish Adam Smith, James Watt). The Secretary of Education & Science has to encourage this scientific focus and in coordination with the nations, he has to design a new method of education, which is applicable in every language and Celtic sub-culture. Many of his tasks have to be coordinated with the Secretary of Celtic Culture & Heritage.


Secretary of Economic Affairs

This person takes care of the economic development of the confederation members. There the internal development is a task for the national parliament or polis, the Confederation focus on the international institutions. It lobbies at the UK, France and EU for investments and subsidies. Further, it coordinates the cooperation between the members. A specific task of the secretary of economic affairs is the development of Celtic Handcrafts, small businesses, which make silverworks, gold works, etc… in typical Celtic styles. Another policy issue is to encourage tourism to the Celtic nations. These last two policies are done in cooperation with the Secretary of Celtic Culture & Heritage and the Secretary of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry and the Secretary of Environmental Conservation.


Secretary of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry

The Secretary of Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry coordinates the national parliaments on these fields, especially the fishery in the Irish Sea is a task which needs coordination there Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Ireland borders to it and make economic claims. Further the national agricultural staffs and forestry staffs works close with the Confederation Secretary on the development of new agricultural techniques and new ways of forestry, this in coordination with the Secretary of Environmental Conservation. They work together with the Secretary of Economic Affairs and the Secretary of Environmental Conservation on tourism development.
Secretary of Environmental Conservation
This secretary not only preserves natural heritage, but also has to take care of a healthy city environment. Actually, it is to consider a combination between the classic secretary of environment and nature conservation, a secretary of housing and city planning and a secretary of health and hygiene. So with the communities and nations it designs new planning for cities, to be healthier, new public transport initiatives and the classic nature conservation.


Security

There the UK parliament is able to withdraw the Scottish and Welch autonomy, both authorities have to create a security check or a lock. Their parliament or assembly can create associations and merge with them. Therewith, you get for example a Scottish Parliament Association and a Welch Assembly Association of which every Scotch and Welch is member. The Board of Governors are the actual Members of Parliament and the elect the Government or the Board of Directors. The specific departments or ministries are formed into Foundations; the secretary of culture for example thus becomes the director of the Cultural Foundation. Thus after a possible withdrawal of autonomy by the UK government the Scotch, Welch and Northern Irish can maintain their autonomy. The same system is usable for Brittany, when the French Government intends to bind in their autonomy.