Government of Ireland Act 1914 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to provide for the better Government of Ireland. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 4 & 5 Geo. 5. c. 90 |
| Territorial extent | Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 18 September 1914 |
| Commencement | Postponed by Suspensory Act 1914 |
| Repealed | 23 December 1920 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | Suspensory Act 1914 |
| Repealed by | Government of Ireland Act 1920 |
| Relates to | |
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Status: Repealed
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
 |
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| Name and origin | |
|---|---|
| Official name of legislation | Government of Ireland Act 1914 |
| Location | United Kingdom |
| Year | 1914 |
| Government introduced | Asquith |
| Parliamentary passage | |
| House of Commons passed? | Yes |
| House of Lords passed? | No; passed under Parliament Act 1911 |
| Royal Assent? | Yes |
| Defeated | |
| Which House | House of Lords, three times (overruled) |
| Date | 1912, 1913, 1914 (overruled) |
| Details of legislation | |
| Legislature type | Bicameral |
| Name(s) | Upper: Senate Lower: House of Commons |
| Size(s) | Senate: 40 House of Commons: 164 |
| MPs in Westminster | 42 MPs |
| Executive head | Lord Lieutenant |
| Executive body | Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Ireland |
| Enactment | |
| Act implemented | Never implemented |
| Succeeded by | Government of Ireland Act 1920 |
The Government of Ireland Act 1914, also known as the Home Rule Act, was a law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its main goal was to give home rule (self-government) to Ireland while it remained part of the United Kingdom. This was the third time a Liberal government tried to pass such a law, responding to calls for Ireland to govern itself.
This Act was important because it was the first time the UK Parliament planned to give a part of the UK its own government. However, the law was never actually put into action. This was because World War I started, and its implementation was delayed. The war lasted longer than expected, and other events in Ireland led to more delays. Eventually, a new law, the Government of Ireland Act 1920, replaced it. The 1920 Act divided Ireland into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, both meant to have home rule.
Contents
Why Home Rule Was Needed
Political Changes in the UK
Around 1909, a big political problem started in the UK. The House of Lords, which is one part of the UK Parliament, rejected a money bill. This led to two general elections in 1910. After these elections, the Liberal and Conservative parties were almost equally strong.
The Irish Parliamentary Party, led by John Redmond, then held the deciding votes in the House of Commons. This party had been fighting for home rule for Ireland since the 1870s. They agreed to support the Liberals if the Liberals introduced a home rule bill for Ireland.
The Parliament Act of 1911
To make sure the House of Lords couldn't stop important laws, the Parliament Act 1911 was passed. Before this, the Lords could completely block any bill. The new Act changed this: the Lords could only delay a bill for up to two years. This meant that if the House of Commons passed a bill three times over two years, it could become law even without the Lords' approval. This change was key for the Home Rule Bill to pass.
What the Home Rule Bill Proposed
New Irish Government
The Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, introduced the Home Rule Bill on April 11, 1912. This bill offered more self-rule to Ireland than previous attempts. It suggested:
- An Irish Parliament would be set up in Dublin. This parliament would have two parts: a 40-member Senate and a 164-member House of Commons. This new parliament would manage most of Ireland's national affairs.
- Ireland would still send members to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, but fewer than before (42 MPs instead of 103).
- The old British administration in Dublin, known as the Dublin Castle administration, would be removed. However, the Lord Lieutenant would remain as the King's representative.
Financial Concerns
Money was a big concern. In 1893, Ireland had a surplus of money from taxes. But by 1910, Ireland was spending more than it collected, with a deficit of £1.5 million. This money had to come from London. The Bill suggested a system where London would send an annual payment to Ireland. This would allow public spending in Ireland to continue at the same level.
Passing the Bill
The House of Commons passed the Bill in 1912. However, the House of Lords rejected it twice, in January 1913 and later in 1913. But because of the Parliament Act 1911, the Bill could still become law. On May 25, 1914, the House of Commons passed the Bill for the third time. After being rejected by the Lords again, the government used the new law to send the Bill directly to the King for his approval.
The Ulster Crisis
Strong Opposition in Ulster
Not everyone in Ireland wanted home rule. Many people in Ulster, especially in the northern counties like Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Londonderry, were strongly against being governed from Dublin. These people were called Unionists because they wanted to remain fully part of the United Kingdom.
In early 1912, some residents in Ulster started forming small local armies. By April 1912, Sir Edward Carson, a leading Unionist politician, saw 100,000 Ulster Volunteers marching. These volunteers were ready to resist home rule.
The Ulster Covenant
On September 28, 1912, over 500,000 Unionists signed the Ulster Covenant. This was a pledge to oppose Home Rule by any means necessary. The Covenant was created by Carson and organized by Sir James Craig. It specifically stated that they would not recognize any parliament in Dublin, obey its laws, or pay its taxes. This was a big problem because Ulster was the wealthiest part of Ireland.
Armed Groups and Threats
In January 1913, the Unionists organized their volunteers into a paramilitary group called the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Its members threatened to use force to stop the Home Rule Act from being put into action. In response, Irish Nationalists formed the Irish Volunteers in November 1913. Their goal was to protect the rights and freedoms of all Irish people.
The British government's ability to deal with the Unionist threat was questioned by the Curragh Incident on March 20, 1914. Many British Army officers in Ireland threatened to resign rather than be ordered to act against the Ulster Volunteers. This forced the government to cancel plans to move troops.
Discussions About Partition
Seeking a Solution
As the Home Rule Bill was being passed, many members of Parliament wondered about a plan to keep Ulster out of the new Irish government for six years. Prime Minister Asquith was looking for any way to avoid a civil war. During a heated debate on May 21, 1914, Sir Edward Carson said that Nationalists and the government had never tried to understand Ulster's position or win them over.
Amending the Bill
A new bill was introduced in the House of Lords on June 23, 1914. This bill suggested a "temporary exclusion of Ulster" from the new Act. Carson and the Irish Unionist Party supported this idea. The main points to negotiate were how many counties would be excluded (four, six, or nine) and if the exclusion would be temporary or permanent.
Asquith suggested a compromise: six counties in northeast Ulster would be "temporarily" excluded. They would continue to be governed by Westminster. To try and find a solution, George V called the Buckingham Palace Conference. This meeting, held from July 21 to 24, 1914, included two MPs from each of the Liberal, Conservative, Irish Parliamentary, and Irish Unionist parties. However, the conference achieved very little.
The Act Becomes Law (But Is Delayed)
World War I Changes Everything
When World War I began on August 4, 1914, Asquith decided to drop the amending bill. Instead, he quickly passed a new law, the Suspensory Act 1914. This Act was approved by the King on September 18, 1914, at the same time as the Government of Ireland Act 1914.
The Suspensory Act made sure that Home Rule would be put on hold until the war ended. This meant that even though the Home Rule Act was now a law, it wouldn't actually start working. The question of Ulster's future was also left undecided, with a promise of future changes.
After the War
The Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916 was a major rebellion that affected the future of Home Rule. After the Rising, two attempts were made during World War I to put the Act into effect. In June 1916, Prime Minister Asquith sent David Lloyd George to Dublin. Lloyd George offered to implement Home Rule immediately. However, he secretly promised Ulster leader Carson that Ulster would not be forced into a self-governing Ireland. This led to confusion and anger when the details became known.
Lloyd George, who later became Prime Minister, made a second attempt in 1917. He called the Irish Convention, which included Irish Nationalist and Unionist representatives. By April 1918, they only managed to agree on a report about self-government, but without a clear plan.
The war ended in November 1918. The December 1918 general election followed. In Ireland, most seats were won by Sinn Féin, a party that wanted Ireland to be completely independent. In January 1919, the Irish War of Independence began. Because of this, the 1914 Act was never put into practice. The future of Home Rule was decided by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which created Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. Southern Ireland later became the Irish Free State.
See also
- History of Ireland (1801–1923)
- Government of Ireland Bill 1886 (First Irish Home Rule Bill)
- Parliament of Southern Ireland
- Parliament of Northern Ireland
- Solemn League and Covenant (Ulster)
- Unionism in Ireland
- List of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted without the House of Lords' consent
Sources
