NATIONAL ARCHIVES

IRELAND

Reference Code: 2005/7/603

Title: Discussion paper concerning the possibility of a British withdrawal from Northern Ireland, appended to a wider discussion paper drafted by an Irish Inter-Departmental Unit on Northern Ireland.

Creation Date(s): [1974]

Level of description: Item

Extent and medium: 5 pages

Creator(s): Department of the Taoiseach

Access Conditions: Open

Copyright: National Archives, Ireland. May only be

reproduced with the written permission of the

Director of the National Archives.

TSCH/3: Central registry records Department of the Taoiseach

© National Archives, Ireland

TSCH/3: Central registry records Department of the Taoiseach

© National Archives, Ireland

,

• Appendix 1.

f ,A.{.,r'.1 \.'ro·,·~,··~.,.,.PI' 1""\.."1 ne'! .I' .... r.. b'~~'n .,' "<!'i ,., •. , .... r:.;"(l' ;:.r: ' ., \.( o;L1(;C-; th$1 I! " J.\. ... ... i,..f",-". 1. • • .....". ,J .J(;'Lt.:J ....... v ........ .... \.. r. .. .J. .. (. J ~ " . ~ ... " •

J ...... :,.!1r •..• ~ OC ~"i;" 0 ''')'"\'''''' i o}''; · .... 11 ' ;;,<- - - .:.. --. - i;' :;""'._~_V 0

S 1 -',..., "'1.,1, .I' ... ' O· .~ • U(~ ') :'1 1./., ..... '. . I.,

i ? c~r-... t~ .... '-./

stat.cm·!lt~ by l' ~<.ld ~;~:s or l..'O'th t ;hc j,'!:l i .n. Br5_'i.::ish GC.1\. . .:::n:;-.'.;nt ( c.<:!

on 16lh l~l?~ il. 1972 ~

rclQtion~nip o

2 ot'n~"'~ -r:~,_""tO!~S "''''5 'b1 f..l 'p~""'ul" nn ~,~OU{· • .. ~'<.. - A. , :.. p.."), 53. _ .. 0 .O~: J..nc:c'c·'3_ng s ... _ . w. ... . \,'" , u ,l.. ...

ch;!1.'(,!ct.CI.' of the viol(.m .... e and the clu::::ivene£s of t:.\ poli ti~(11

settler..'S I1t , eEl highlisht.cd b:I the fl1.ilUl'C of the Sunningoale

A rTT'A, .... r,.,..,.n~· fo'" ~·' .lr)N ro .... t'\...,c' U " . ., C t'~' ~"J-""''' ' .. h",.~", C!."... • • ~: "' 't_': ... ~, "". -:-l.' ;':.':.t.r .·.v,· '::J~ ... - .. ,.; -, J ••• ~#\ ...... '=' ~" ~ ~l. ,. 1 • ., e- ........... , .. --', • _ ;-,., . ' -..I '-'d_ !:; __ "

t.Ol,·J{u:dn H(.sb-. .. n3tel: :.:ule nnd Hcc'Cninstc.x: Gt~?;.aa.~c<..; dC i ... :)n.:.; i.--~(-~tcd ~.:;:" ./

'.

TSCH/3: Central registry records Department of the Taoiseach

© National Archives, Ireland

•

continuing lo~s of 1'f i1

nd inj\ i s b ·ing ~u-fcr d by ri i~h

ool'lioror.! oerv:i ng in th Torth (ov 220 -regular r:ol iers ld1l

, inee 1969) and th c mp ign , rpon or d by cer in l-i~Ps 0 "br n J I

th_ troop horn". Tha pec l'tion is 1 0 re1~' d to th

combined effect of f ctors en a minor" y Governm ut 'n

th Unitod K:i ngdom~ hich ly M t h th "y 'n Ih:ich

io moving.

3. ImprcC"sions from the m ting beb on t,b 11' 0: c_ach no 11:r. ':-i100n .' n April 'h" S Y <lX'" und v' G

elec' ed • pr ;:;Iont tiv .., from Nor h rn Ir~land i 1. ,July I bore out

the vi 1 that f 1:'ng t constituency le -1 in Brit in in f~vo'r

of wi thdl:awal is a cr-'c t d 1 S 'onger than it ha' .. bCC!'ll prc.'Js d

to be, in public by Bri :ieh r.1inistors. r~orc:J: ~ntly D Nr. o1"1n

Hum std. at the eet' ng n Minister9 1 the D: 0.,.

20th AU<J'~st, 1974, that h bad ga' nOO the ' ... p~c;.:s 'ion. from

SDL?' s r ~ nt convers tiono !i th Hr. Be""th t!l;J.i: 1 __ .. He't'h

p son 1 y}) • cVoOd th the Labo 1 Go' .. rmacnt . .'ish to ·;:.tb~!'n'~

from 1; ol:the:rn Ii'.: 1- nd. Mr. :Io' th h' d s' t cl t11 "t r... bot have

Jh~ • he ,., scrib Cl as ncuro~is a out he J2 ~o ChcrI J eland

,. ato in th. ouse of Commons.

4. stat mont.o ruling out ,ithdr 0' 1 have,. h~ , 1;;. ~ been In- C •

T"lle most recent authorita iv ' tl -atement on the subject by

1-1r.. ,~ilson ~as in the Hous of Common on 4th Jun last.

Sp aking 01: .he OOp:1 \'lh .... c 1, in pr' cticC!, ·;oula.

aynonomous ~ .. ith

liThe icnd-aw 1 of t oop~' ••• ". provide t 11 i:c.:>r n pro 1. ms : J.:1 r' her l

b l10 po ... itive solution other h n Cl

no poLit~~c .olu'~ n r lan(."', for th r ' political olut: 0.1 Cl.S).OH b:' ply. u b 8 n con..,ent. qithout

"thdrc. rJ the pzoo uctiv of n b mo 1 n quickly be fill it ~o Id be ~'11

l pu ely 1 c. .iv inq. ,'h creating of a .

11 g ... ive . et. But thi . Cl hink r.l ny of by men f 7'olClce of .1

TSCH/3: Central registry records Department of the Taoiseach

© National Archives, Irelandl

/

,/~

in nt on forcing th ir p t.icul.r ~ tion 1 supr ey •••••

On th issue of \'l: thdra 1 1, th refor • tlm th "0 is no 'Cion thrOU)1

of troop unless the Hous is pr pur d to ris1" 11010c uat. U (Hansarc, for 4th 'l1n_ 1974) c

Th b ckground to Hr. lil~on t s s a em n' was g' V 1.1 by off" ci 1

from t .. e ~"orthcrn Irel nd O_fice cl ing uisit '0 Dublin on :th

June \vhen they s 10 tb i:, .... 0 f s British thinking \<J S concern 0,

They in' icat d th t i... JaS not

at that time, ing considert:.d by British lil1isters s U.n opt.ion.

The Gp ,ches of 1-1essr • Orme, Ilea and Th rpe in the s dcbil'o

eH.minated "i hdr al s n option 'nd only v y f~l M.Ps se m " '0

support it.

JIo .. mong argt m 11'(: again ... t ~it ldr :wal ~ that

(1) 't could S. .rolva 'he Brit;;' -1 in 'nt.crnd.i:.iona.l thxough h :' nvol r' m· nt of tl ir t..llir or fourth c stomcr .' 1.1 r ri U ,:.vil di. .. ,-urba.~c: 9:

(2) th B it'..,h could £ ca intcrnc.tion 1 00 acis t,:on if th ff ilbdic·ted thoir o~th n sponsi ili i Si

(3) ~ha violenc in this icl d could e.p:.ll .vc): cv ~n m re: ~'l' 11 a. present i 0 Br".i:.ish c' ties; nd

(4) effect» on dam'" :lds for indepnndenc from Sea tioh nd Ue"oh n tiOl·'lictr, t Cl time ,hen'\:h futu!:e onon c prozpe.rity of Engl· 1 d r.'e~l.e 11. vily on the ben f= ts f 0: .. 1 offshu:!:e Scotl nd -l'ld pxobably lal s.

Regilrd must al"'o b h' d to the s tu ory commitment in t.he ::'01: .... ern

Ireland Constl UtiOIl _t, 1973, '- t Northern Irel nd :ould ,t

cea.... . 0 La pax of ,." ..... it"'':) I .. ;ngd"" .,_H_'h.Ot1.t 0(-'1.e ('!(",nr:· n~ o.f: • 11n ..... "" _. ...... _!.a/. ~

I' jo .. iO Y of the (J voting t.t a p:>,l hold for opurpo:-- ,

nd the further dccla .. ,t' OP. in the SunningCl 1 .. commUI " h

th itish Gov nment 'Ilould support the 'W.:shcs of tha jOI:ity

opl of "orthcrn Ir 1 nd. Both of th ° co c n

of c ur le be ch g d, s similar commi -m nto have On 1 P t

. J

TSCH/3: Central registry records Department of the Taoiseach

© National Archives, Ireland

• More r n ly, c t _nts by • R S il T. r., intervi .

on 12t'1 Augu"'t, e interpret a in a 'le quart ugg ... t:i.ng

th t pome for of dis ng 9 ment ~ b ing con mpl ted by the

BT.i tis11 Gov run nt. ._."OTpn:.t' , 14r. Reeo h d a press s t :!men'

issued on the f 1 et'ling (13th August) in order to cl ify

\'lhat h :~ctl. 11y ~ id i 1 • T.V. : t ,viC\'1. t m.... t

o· "pull-out"ne e falJo .d , .

this up '1ith a. z t.e. ent in h, <1(;:llive:rc on is ~1 ~.u'Just,

that C'it iB nOns nse to say i: lat on .1'1

point of pulling out tl•

7. clc. rly B1:'i tioh policy" 0 •• (3 luce t lev 1

o f the: r troop com.....u. tme:n'i;. 'h _GC nt propoG l.a en. po' icing,

c o upl d with th si \llt~ n .oualy le k ... d intcn ion cc '-'l· .. ·hdraw

1,000 trcop!3 in the no;c :,"'u ure re stops in .: iu <.i ':t.: c' :.r..:.i'l",

B. he S.D.Lo • r.ow bo:ic . i1 cl • ~, tl tl t the 13 l:C ( 1 ~ n . p' C:\ J."l

L bou P rty ,. to g tout 0_ No.tbern Ir lend n~ I'Y

follo"t'ing Ioy list vi~~ory in . 0 Conv~ntion election • i'hey

e'" t.lle opt-ions lil:ely to b ..... opon .0 the Bl:i' ''"'h Gov run nt ~ 9

i her confrontation w.lth .' 11 loy lists or v:i.thdr . J •• This

ao giv n public oxpressio in a ro,=,",nt G 'em:l John lun __

The SDLP \ auld lish to nsura th t ,.. i tain thdra :-rort

O:rtll rn Ir 1« d beforo ccept le' nc1 workable pCJli iea!

i nctitution' I.! d be n s t up .. y (i to br ing a1:>ou t cl c. 17,(

in . lhat they ,. ""s the c ',=>lutio , of n'-i ioh pol '.cy wO ~ 1: t o

13ritioh Gov r nt would I k po iti'e t .... empt, in '- r' junc ion

if n

cccp 1 in~ to • tutions of gov"'rn nt i. :To. thern

h ' ve c 11 d for the it ",toh Gov nment to ..., ,t , arct.;:: 5:

th Conv :ltion tion, th t 1

ro':sion 0 on o.r 0"':

TSCH/3: Central registry records Department of the Taoiseach

© National Archives, Ireland

e ) 9. It shoul' b m ntion dth . th

oya1ist 1 oc' not vo

Ireland but , nte of th u

r gion 1 a ly nd ti T on :h

'nvolving co~ ulsory L

10 .. On 110. d y, 9th S pt mb r. 1974, th it:

iss 1 d Orc r on the n tur nt

.c ' , a1 d 'cono,

, ppor' of r'h l' n ~ t ne c s ~'T .n

h Paper's cent nl is fa.c ua' 11' its J. i ~

t.o underline 'h po. sible uence o~ Cl fi ne of

of tl16 B~.i.t.i<':!h f r settl, cnt in .a:'1orth no ..

.1

S er tary of St... e recalls 'j;he

v ou~ oalitics "n the mos'

o.

to h accept- bio to 'he poop 1 oi

I S a Jhola nd t1 ... troll t.... no h ne to

p ovide for th 't.hthe lic •

. :or ,-l0 cl doca not go b yond pri. ti '1 o '\:.h ...:

'ttern .

11. Whil h SDLP c nsing or s~atcment of i i ... 1

~ I1t. nt ' 01 • ea for dir-ere ':'on ,h t of: 1~ Ir . r-' I! n 11 p •

Governrn .... nt t o } iti ... h in antions i lee.:!}. ect of

. " chdr '!tool 1 i s ten n c scar~J c k ··~o ob i • ~

'n . ndica ion o f t nt:.ono i d only 1. n or

S a d, perI S, v 11 impl:ciyly n oth cl' ('tic, '.