January 19 1974
Mr Frank McManus, Unity MP for Fermanagh S Tyrone, put forward his own plan for a federal Ulster at a press conference in Belfast.
There would be four tiers of self-government in his “New Ulster” plan.
The Community Council, a voluntary representative body, would speak and act on behalf of local communities of 1,500-6,000 people in urban and rural areas. A delegate from each Community Council would have a seat on the statutory District Council.
The District Council – the basic unit of statutory government – would contain a community of 10-70,000 people. It would have charge of all public services to individuals and families in the spheres of social welfare, education, labour guidance, trading and employment practices, housing, planning permissions, agriculture and fishing, small industry development, etc. It would control the District Police and join with the other District Councils of the region to maintain a Regional Police Service with specialist functions. District Councils could, at their discretion, delegate functions to Community Councils.
There would be four Regional Councils: Belfast (pop. 696,000); East Ulster (pop. 513,000); West Ulster (pop. 307,000); and South Ulster (pop. 240,000). These Councils would be concerned with public services which have a high technological content, eg, hospitals, major roads, telecommunications, third level education. Other functions would be concerned with economic, physical and educational planning.
A Parliament of Ulster would legislate for the 9 counties and would allocate funds annually to the Regional Councils, co-ordinate the regional plans, and supervise and co-ordinate the Regional Police Services. The Parliament could engage in any legal activity which was not reserved by stature to a higher authority. Foreign Affairs, Defence and national finance would be reserved to the Federal Parliament.
Nationalist politician Frank McManus’s federal scheme was one of many proposed at the time to find a long-term political solution, given the collapse of Stormont and uncertainty surrounding the Sunningdale Agreement.
No Strike on Day of Assembly
The United Ulster Unionist Council said last night they would not be advocating any industrial action next Tuesday to mark the first meeting of the Assembly since the Executive was formed.
A statement said the decision had been taken after consultation with the Loyalist Association of Workers and other political groups. But it added that Assembly members who pledged to make the Executive unworkable “would do their duty on January 22″.
The Council claimed to have uncovered a “plot” by British Intelligence to take “violent action” on Tuesday in order to discredit the loyalist community. It added: “The nature of the proposed section by British Intelligence will be reported to the police.”