UNIT 7- Power Sharing 1973-74 Flashcards
Define power sharing:
The sharing of power between Catholics & Protestants. An attempt to provide a fair settlement for all parts if the community in Northern Ireland. Also offered he opportunity of involvement for the Republic of Ireland in Northern Ireland’s affairs.
Why was power sharing needed?
-To end the soaring levels of violence.
-Offered the opportunity of involvement for the ROI in NI’s affairs.
-To provide a fair settlement for all parts of the community in NI.
-Returning to days of unionist domination was not an option.
-Direct rule was only intended to be temporary.
What were the proposals of power sharing?
-A new law-making assembly (parliament) elected by proportional representation (no control of security or justice); (June 1973)
-An executive (government); (21 Nov 1973)
-And the British insisted on – the sharing of power between and Catholics and
Protestants as well as the formal recognition of an Irish Dimension – Council Of
Ireland– to allow for discussion of interests common to Belfast, Dublin and London. (Discussions: 6 Dec 1973 – Sunningdale Agreement 9 Dec 1973)
What were the reactions to power sharing?
-Nationalist – broadly supportive
-Unionists – divided in their reactions
-Faulkner supported the plans as did those in the OUP who were loyal
to him.
-But the remainder of the OUP, DUP, the new Vanguard Unionist
Progressive Party joined together to form – United Ulster Unionist
Council (UUUC) to oppose plans
-The extent of the splits became clear when the outcome of the
assembly elections were announced end of June 1973.
What were the results of the 1973 election?
-Anti-power sharing unionists elected were greater than amount of pro-power sharing unionists elected.
-Pro=24 seats, Anti=26 seats.
-However total number of pro-power sharing seats won was 52.
Describe the 21st November executive:
-21 November 1973: membership had been agreed.
-11 ministries (all to supporters of power sharing)
-6 Unionist, 4 SDLP, 1 Alliance.
-4 non-voting members
-OUP’s Faulkner to head the executive.
-SDLP’s Fitt to be deputy.
Describe the discussions held in Berkshire:
-To discuss the form & responsibilities of the Council of Ireland.
-Discussions began on December 6th 1973 at Sunningdale in Berkshire, England.
-Sunningdale agreement secured on December 9th.
-Delegations from Britain, the Republic of Ireland and the Northern
Ireland Assembly attended but Unionists opposed to power-sharing
were not invited to the talks – concern they may disrupt the
negotiations.
Give 2 terms of the Sunningdale Agreement:
-The British Government agreed not to oppose a untied Ireland if a majority of the Northern Irish population wanted it.
-The government of the ROI accepted that Irish unity could only ever be achieved peacefully and with the consent of the majority of the people in Northern Ireland.
What were the reactions to the Sunningdale Agreement?
-Agreements looked promising but unionists and nationalists saw it as something completely different.
-SDLP: believed it was paving way towards the creation of closer ties between Ni and the ROI.
-Faulkner unionists: saw it as a mere token to get Dublin to accept the position of NI as part of the UK.
What were the unionist reactions to power sharing as a whole?
-Faulkner believed it offered the chance to get rid of direct rule.
-He also believe that the CoI was merely an advisory body to help improve economic relations in Ireland.
-Faulkner saw power sharing as a tool which he had used to get the ROI to accept the position of NI in the UK.
-Alliance Party saw it as a sign for peace and progress.
-Ulster Vanguard, DUP, other anti-power sharing unionists form the UUUC
-Loyalist paramilitaries formed the UAC to resist any significant Irish dimension.
What were the nationalist reactions to power sharing as a whole?
-Broadly supportive.
-SDLP took part in the executive.
-SDLP saw the CoI as a chance to build links with the ROI to give it more of a role in NI’s affairs.
What were the problems which resulted from power sharing?
-10 Dec 73: loyalist paramilitaries formed UAC
-IRA set off a series of bombs in London the week before Xmas.
-Power sharing faced an uncertain future.
-4 Jan: UUP’S ruling body (Ulster Unionist Council) voted to reject the Sunningdale agreement.
-Faulkner resigned and was replaced by Harry West.
-Faulkner still had the support of 19/21 UUP assembly members and could remain as Chief Executive but was isolated within unionism.
Describe the 1974 general election:
-28 February
-UUUC got 80%; 11/12 seats won by anti-power sharing candidates. Fitt retained his West Belfast seat for the SDLP.
-Reflected that majority of the public were against what had been agreed at Sunningdale therefore the assembly was no longer a true reflection of public opinion in NI.
-Also new Labour gov in London- under Wilson.
-New Secretary of State was forced to spend more time in London than NI.
-Political developments took place against a background of violence and regular protests against the Sunningdale Agreement.
-Determination from unionists to see the system fail land tactics chosen to destroy Sunningdale would be a massive strike.
Describe the 1974 UWC strike:
When demands for new Assembly elections were ignored, a group of Protestant trade unionists called the Ulster Workers’ Council or UWC organised a strike on 14 May 1974.
This was in response to the Northern Ireland Assembly voting in favour of continuing to support the Sunningdale Agreement on 14 May 1974
• The strike attracted support from unionist politicians and loyalist paramilitaries
• Its aim was to show the levels of Unionist opposition to the Sunningdale Agreement
• At first support for the strike was limited, but it grew, partly due to UDA intimidation and improved coordination by the UWC
• The UWC strike brought most of Northern Ireland to a standstill after one week.
Industries had to close down, there were regular electricity blackouts and fuel supplies were strictly controlled. Hundreds of road blocks took place
• Attempts to organise a back-to-work demonstration by some of Northern Ireland’s trade unions on 21 May failed
Loyalist bombs in Dublin and Monaghan on 17 May which claimed 27 lives
making it the worst single day’s death toll during the entire period of the
Troubles. This increased the pressure on the Stormont executive
• The UWC’s determination to succeed increased when British Prime Minister
Harold Wilson made a speech calling them “spongers” on 25 May 1974
• When the British government ordered the army to seize fuel supplies on 27 May
1973, the UWC ordered total shut down
• As a result of this UWC action, Brian Faulkner, the Chief Executive, resigned on
28 May 1973 and the Power Sharing Executive collapsed when the British
government refused to negotiate with the strikers
• Having achieved its goal, the UWC ended the strike on 29 May, Assembly
suspended 30 May and within 5 months direct rule was reintroduced.
Who was the Chief Executive of the power sharing assembly?
Brian Faulkner
Who was the Deputy Chief Executive of the power sharing assembly?
Gerry Fitt
What does UUUC stand for?
United Ulster Unionist Council
Who was part of the UUUC?
Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party, anti-Faulkner, DUP
What did UAC stand for?
Ulster Army Council
When was the UAC formed?
10 December 1973
What did the IRA do in response to power sharing?
Set off a series of bombs in London the week before Xmas in 1973.
Where and when were meetings held to discuss the Council of Ireland.
Sunningdale in Berkshire, England from December 6th 1973.
When were the loyalist bombs in Dublin and Monaghan?
17 May 1974
How many people died in the loyalist bombings on May 17th?
27
When were the loyalist bombings in Dublin and Monaghan?
17th May 1973
When did Brian Faulkner resign (power sharing)?
28th May
When was the power sharing assembly suspended?
May 29th and within 5 months direct rule was reintroduced
When was the UWC strike?
14th-29th May
When did Wilson call the strikers spongers?
25th May
What does UWC stand for?
Ulster Workers’ Council
Why did support for the UWC strike grow?
-Support from unionist politicians
-Intimidation from loyalist paramilitaries, specifically the UDA.
-Improved coordination from the UWC
What is the definition of power sharing?
The sharing of lower between Catholics & Protestants. An attempt t
