Anglo-Irish Agreement1985

Images

Ireland in Schools Blackpool Pilot Scheme

AI01_Thatcher_FitzgeraldAI02_Thatcher_FitzgeraldAI20_James_Molyneux_UUPAI21_Paisley_02 AI22_Paisley_CarsonAI23_Belfast_DemonstrationAI24_Belfast_Demonstration_02AI25_Belfast_Demonstration_03AI26_Stormont_PicketAI27_Hillsborough_DemonstrationAI28_UDAAI29_Shipyard_ProtestAI30_Thatcher_EffigyAI40_CartoonAI41_Dinosaur_Dam_CartoonAI50_Enniskillen_BombingAI51_Funeral_Marie_WilsonAI52_Belfast_On_EnniskillenAI60_Futile_Talks_Peter_BrookeAI61_Futile_Talk_NI_Leaders

The Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1985

This was agreed between Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and IrishTaoiseach Garrett Fitzgerald.

• It set up an Intergovernmental Conference: the Northern Ireland Secretary and Irish Foreign Minister would meet regularly.

• There would be cross-border co-operation on security, legal and political issues.

• The Agreement set up its own civil service with staff from both sides of the border.

• The British government accepted that there might one day be a united Ireland, but only with the consent of the majority in Northern Ireland.

• The Irish government accepted the existence of Partition, and also the principle of consent.