Northern Ireland

London Tells Dublin: Give Up Claim to North – On This Day in 1974

Margaret Thatcher and Garret FitzGerald sign the Anglo-Irish Agreement at Hillsborough Castle in 1985. Photo: Pacemaker Press Intl.
Garret FitzGerald, who was Irish foreign affairs minister in 1974, would later sign the Anglo-Irish Agreement with Margaret Thatcher at Hillsborough Castle in 1985
By Cormac Moore
March 8 1974

“Give Up All Claim to North” – London to Dublin

“Friendly pressure” is being exerted by the new British Labour Government on the Dublin Government to have the 26-County constitution amended with the deletion of claims to Northern Ireland territory.

Dr Garrett FitzGerald, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister, had it impressed upon him in London yesterday that only an amended constitution would allay the fears of northern Protestants that a Council of Ireland would be the first move to absorb the north, against their will, in a 32-county Republic.

Dr FitzGerald was told during a 90-minute meeting with Mr Merlyn Rees, the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, that swift action was needed by the Dublin Government if the Sunningdale Agreement in relation to the setting up of a Council of Ireland was to be implemented.

The Irish minister was asked to convey to the Taoiseach, Mr Liam Cosgrave, the British Government’s view that, in advance of amendments to the constitution – a process possibly requiring a referendum – there would have to be a clear, unequivocal declaration from the south that the north’s status within the United Kingdom was recognised and not at risk.

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Dr FitzGerald told Mr Rees that the Irish Government wanted to press on with ratification of the Sunningdale Agreement as soon as possible, but he conceded that this could not be done for possibly two months until the new Secretary of State had properly settled in and had examined the situation in minute detail.

The Taoiseach, who is expected in London for a Downing Street meeting with British premier Mr Harold Wilson the week after next, is to make a statement in the Dáil on Sunningdale and, although of the opinion that Northern Ireland’s status has already been recognised, may give the declaration asked for by the British Government at the same time.

Mr Cosgrave’s statement will be made in the light of a full briefing today from Dr FitzGerald on his meeting with Mr Rees.

Mr Rees also had a 45-minute meeting yesterday with the Ulster United Unionist Coalition leaders, Mr Harry West, the Rev Ian Paisley and Mr William Craig, on security and Northern Ireland’s status.

Despite calls from the British government for the Irish government to amend the constitution, Articles 2 and 3 which asserted territorial claim over Northern Ireland were not changed until after the Good Friday Agreement.