National Archives 1985: Thatcher- FitzGerald talks on a knife-edge

Then taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald warned the then British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, in 1985 that he could not go ahead with signing the Anglo-Irish Agreement unless the establishment of joint courts was part of the deal.

The Fine Gael leader also expressed concern that members of his own government were becoming sceptical about negotiations on the agreement.

“I have persuaded them to go along with what is happening but with difficulty,” said the Taoiseach of his cabinet colleagues.