State Papers - 1977: The North looms large in Anglo-Irish relations

EVENTS relating directly and indirectly to the North dominated Anglo-Irish relations during 1977.

The year began with the Government pressing a case at the European Commission of Human Rights in Strasbourg against the British for using torture in the North following the introduction of internment without trial in 1971.

The British were embarrassed as the case generated considerable publicity, especially from behind the Iron Curtain. Prime Minister Jim Callaghan sent Sir Richard Sykes to express concern to Liam Cosgrave about “the serious deterioration in relations between the two countries which had occurred in recent times”.

Sir Richard blamed “the damage done to inter-government relations by media presentation of those acts and by the use being made of them by unfriendly elements.” Mr Callaghan publicly criticised the Government for not signing the European convention on terrorism.

It was not that Dublin favoured terrorism but the Attorney-General advised the Government could not sign up to the convention’s requirement on extradition without the electorate approval in a constitutional referendum.

The Cosgrave government tried to overcome the extradition hurdle with the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act, which allowed for Irish people to be tried in Ireland for criminal acts committed outside the state, but the British never availed of it.

Anglo-Irish relations were further complicated when the Irish prosecuted eight members of the Special Air Service (SAS) who were arrested in the Republic fully armed. Fearing a backlash in Britain if the SAS eight were jailed, the case was over in one day and the men were only fined £100 each.

After Jack Lynch became Taoiseach in July, he seemed to hedge on the Fianna Fáil demand for a British declaration of intent to withdraw from the North. He explained he was not looking for the British to set a date for withdrawal, but to indicate that they would go some time.

Mr Callaghan had little room to manoeuvre because he had a minority government, dependent on the support of a divided Liberal Party. He had also made a deal for the support of six Ulster Unionists in return for initiating moves to increase the North’s representation at Westminster.

He balked at reform of government relations with the unions, for even though he was warned the Conservatives would do so when they got into power.

“OK, if it’s so inevitable, let the Tories pass it,” he insisted. “It is not our issue.”

When Mr Lynch and Mr Callaghan got together in London on September 28, they took their time before discussing the North. They talked about the economy, employment, unions, inflation, incomes, economic co-operation, and fisheries, before referring to the North.

The Taoiseach called for another effort to implement power sharing, but the Prime Minister realised it was not possible at the time. All the Taoiseach got was an assurance there would be “no question whatsoever” of the North being integrated into the United Kingdom.