SubSubseries 7 - New Ireland Forum

3 Subsubsubseries, 28 files, 1 item

The New Ireland Forum (NIF) was a forum, established by Garret FitzGerald, then Taoiseach, in 1983–1984 at which Irish nationalist political parties discussed potential political developments that might alleviate the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It was initially dismissed, by Unionists, Sinn Féin, and others, as a nationalist talking-shop. The Forum's report, published on 2 May 1984, listed three possible alternative structures: a unitary state, a federal/confederal state, and joint British/Irish authority. The British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, dismissed the three alternatives one by one at a press conference, each time saying, "that is out", in a response that became known as the "out, out, out" speech. However, Garret Fitzgerald valued it as establishing a nationalist consensus from which the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement could be framed.

There were 27 members and fourteen alternates representing 4 political parties (Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour, Social Democratic Labour Party), with Mary Robinson being one of two alternates for Labour. Material is arranged chronologically and includes copies of submissions to NIF from various organisations and correspondence between NIF members, alternates and advisors on who should be invited to send in submissions and to appear at oral hearings.

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12/02/2025
06/05/2025