Council of Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Council of Ireland may refer to one of two councils, one established in the 1920s, the other in the 1970s.
. The Council was established as an all-Ireland law-making authority. It was to have 41 members: 13 members of the Houses of Commons of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively; 7 members of the Senates of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively; and a President chosen by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.
Under Section 7 of the 1920 Act, the Council could make orders concerning matters which were within the remit of the respective Parliaments of Southern and Northern Ireland. The Council’s Orders required royal assent in the same way Bills of either of the Parliaments also required such assent.
duly elected its 13 chosen members to the Council: Sir R. N. Anderson, Rt. Hon. John M. Andrews, Mr. J. Milne Barbour, Rt. Hon. Sir R. Dawson Bates, Mr. William Coote, Rt. Hon. Sir James Craig, Bart.; Captain Herbert Dixon, Mr. William Grant, Dr. Robert. J. Johnstone, Sir Crawford McCullagh, Mr. Samuel McGuffin, Mr. Robert J. McKeown, and Major David G. Shillington. The House of Commons of Southern Ireland was a body which although established, never functioned and never elected members to the Council. In fact, the Council of Ireland never met.
made provision for the continuation of the Council of Ireland after the Irish Free State
was established. Under the Treaty, if Northern Ireland
chose to opt out of the Irish Free State (as in fact it subsequently did), the Council was to continue but the Council’s powers could then only be applied to Northern Ireland and not to the Irish Free State. While its functions only applied to Northern Ireland, its membership continued to be 40: 20 selected by each of the Parliaments of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland respectively and one by the King’s representative. Therefore, after the Treaty, it was no longer the all-Ireland body originally envisaged as its powers applied only to Northern Ireland. Instead, it was a body in which the Irish Free State might influence the affairs of Northern Ireland and consequently was increasingly distrusted by the Government of Northern Ireland. The Council never met.
On 23 January 1922 Michael Collins
, then head of the Provisional Government
in Dublin, met Sir James Craig
, then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, in London, and they agreed amongst other matters that: "The two Governments [are] to endeavour to devise a more suitable system than the Council of Ireland for dealing with problems affecting all Ireland."
, the Council of Ireland was essentially abolished, as it was transferred to the care of the Northern Ireland government that did not intend to work towards a united Ireland in the foreseeable future. Under Article 5 of that Agreement it was declared that:
specified the details of the council, as had been worked out through negotiations between the parties of Northern Ireland and the British and Irish governments. The Council collapsed the next year with the withdrawal of the unionists.
Council of Ireland (1921-1925)
The Council of Ireland was a statutory body established under the Government of Ireland Act 1920Government of Ireland Act 1920
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 was the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which partitioned Ireland. The Act's long title was "An Act to provide for the better government of Ireland"; it is also known as the Fourth Home Rule Bill or as the Fourth Home Rule Act.The Act was intended...
. The Council was established as an all-Ireland law-making authority. It was to have 41 members: 13 members of the Houses of Commons of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively; 7 members of the Senates of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively; and a President chosen by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.
Purpose
Under Section 2 of the 1920 Act, the Council was established with the following purpose:Under Section 7 of the 1920 Act, the Council could make orders concerning matters which were within the remit of the respective Parliaments of Southern and Northern Ireland. The Council’s Orders required royal assent in the same way Bills of either of the Parliaments also required such assent.
Establishment
The Council was duly established on the “Appointed Day”, 3 May 1921. On 23 June 1921, the House of Commons of Northern IrelandHouse of Commons of Northern Ireland
The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act...
duly elected its 13 chosen members to the Council: Sir R. N. Anderson, Rt. Hon. John M. Andrews, Mr. J. Milne Barbour, Rt. Hon. Sir R. Dawson Bates, Mr. William Coote, Rt. Hon. Sir James Craig, Bart.; Captain Herbert Dixon, Mr. William Grant, Dr. Robert. J. Johnstone, Sir Crawford McCullagh, Mr. Samuel McGuffin, Mr. Robert J. McKeown, and Major David G. Shillington. The House of Commons of Southern Ireland was a body which although established, never functioned and never elected members to the Council. In fact, the Council of Ireland never met.
Adaptation of Council under Treaty
The Anglo-Irish TreatyAnglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
made provision for the continuation of the Council of Ireland after the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
was established. Under the Treaty, if Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
chose to opt out of the Irish Free State (as in fact it subsequently did), the Council was to continue but the Council’s powers could then only be applied to Northern Ireland and not to the Irish Free State. While its functions only applied to Northern Ireland, its membership continued to be 40: 20 selected by each of the Parliaments of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland respectively and one by the King’s representative. Therefore, after the Treaty, it was no longer the all-Ireland body originally envisaged as its powers applied only to Northern Ireland. Instead, it was a body in which the Irish Free State might influence the affairs of Northern Ireland and consequently was increasingly distrusted by the Government of Northern Ireland. The Council never met.
On 23 January 1922 Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
, then head of the Provisional Government
Provisional Government of Southern Ireland
The provisional Government of Southern Ireland was the provisional government for the administration of Southern Ireland between 16 January 1922 and 6 December 1922. The government was effectively a transitional administration for the period between the ratifying of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the...
in Dublin, met Sir James Craig
James Craig
-Public officials:*James Henry Craig , British soldier and colonial administrator*James Craig , British politician*James Craig , Canadian politician...
, then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, in London, and they agreed amongst other matters that: "The two Governments [are] to endeavour to devise a more suitable system than the Council of Ireland for dealing with problems affecting all Ireland."
Abolition
Under an Agreement between the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Irish Free State governments of 3 December 1925 amending the Anglo-Irish TreatyAnglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty , officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and representatives of the secessionist Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of...
, the Council of Ireland was essentially abolished, as it was transferred to the care of the Northern Ireland government that did not intend to work towards a united Ireland in the foreseeable future. Under Article 5 of that Agreement it was declared that:
Council of Ireland (1973)
The Council of Ireland was established during 1973 to coordinate the governments of the UK, Northern Ireland, and Ireland for common concerns. The Sunningdale AgreementSunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
specified the details of the council, as had been worked out through negotiations between the parties of Northern Ireland and the British and Irish governments. The Council collapsed the next year with the withdrawal of the unionists.