Bridging the Irish Sea: The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1985
![handle is hein.journals/sjilc12 and id is 597 raw text is: BRIDGING THE IRISH SEA: THE ANGLO-IRISH
TREATY OF 1985
I. INTRODUCTION
On November 16, 1985, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of
the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Dr. Garrett FitzGerald of
the Republic of Ireland signed an historic agreement, later ratified
by both nation's parliaments,1 giving the Irish Republic a formal
role in governing Northern Ireland2 for the first time since Ire-
land's partition in 1921. The Anglo-Irish Treaty [Treaty]3 marks
the first major initiative since 1973 towards breaking the political
deadlock and curbing the violence in Northern Ireland.4
1. The agreement, Agreement on Northern Ireland, Nov. 15, 1985, Republic of Ireland-
United Kingdom, reprinted in, The Times (London) Nov. 16, 1985, at 6, col. 1. [hereinafter
cited as Anglo-Irish Treaty] was ratified by both the British and Irish Parliaments. In
London, the Treaty was overwhelmingly approved with only a minimal number of conserva-
tives joining the Protestant members of parliament from Northern Ireland in opposing the
accord. In Dublin, the Irish parliament approved the Treaty by thirteen votes. FiannaFall,
the main opposition party, voted against the treaty, objecting to its recognition of the right
of the north to maintain its link with Great Britain as long as a majority of its people
wished. Rev. Paisley's Response, The Washington Post, Dec. 1, 1985, at C6, col. 1; Lelyveld,
British MP's Approve Ulster Accord, 473 to 47, N.Y. Times, Nov. 28, 1985, at Al, col. 4;
Dublin Parliament Approves Anglo-Irish Agreement on North, Reuters North European
Service, Nov. 21, 1985.
2. Northern Ireland, which is surrounded on two sides by the Republic of Ireland and
on two sides by the Irish sea, is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland.
The separation of the six counties collectively known as Ulster (Antrim, Armagh, Down,
Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone) that make up Northern Ireland, from the rest of the
island occurred with the passing of the Government of Ireland Act of 1920. The area to be
partitioned was primarily chosen for political reasons. By excluding the Catholic counties of
Danegal, Cavan and Managhan from the historic province of Ulster, the British effectively
guaranteed a Protestant majority in Northern Ireland. M.A. BUSTxD, NORTHERN IRELAND 6
(1974); Winder, Anglo-Irish Plan Worries Ulster Protestants, The Christian Science Moni-
tor, Nov. 18, 1985, at 13, col. 1.
3. See Anglo-Irish Treaty, upranoted,-at art. I, para. a. The Treaty is to be reviewed
after three years or earlier if so desired.
4. In March 1973, one year after the suspension of the Northern Ireland parliament,
the British government presented its solution to the restoration of self-government for the
province in the White Paper, Northern Ireland Constitutional Proposals. The reforms listed
in the White Paper included: the rejection of majority rule for power sharing, and in so
doing proposed an eighty-member Assembly elected by proportional representation; and the
creation of an Executive Committee that would assure Catholic participation in carrying out
certain executive functions by the Northern Ireland government.
The June 1973 elections for the new Northern Ireland Assembly resulted in the failure
of any political party in the province to win a majority of seats. The Protestant vote was
split by the fragmentation of the Unionist party and the birth of a new Loyalist coalition
opposed to Great Britain's terms as outlined in the White Paper. Against this background,
the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced in November that three parties](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/sjilc12&div=32&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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Bridging the Irish Sea: The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1985
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