Orders of the Day — Clause 1. — Provisions for giving the force of law to and carrying into effect Irish Agreement.

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 3 March 1922.

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Photo of Mr Joseph Devlin Mr Joseph Devlin , Belfast Falls

I never was so serious in my life. Then one hears the Act of 1920 described as a solemn covenant, unchanged and unchangeable, and that to touch it would be like laying unholy hands upon the ark of the covenant. It was nothing of the sort. It was merely a Parliamentary trick to meet the situation of the moment. Hon. Members opposite say: "You are taking away from us what this Parliament has given us." This Parliament never had any right to give you Tyrone and Fermanagh. Tyrone and Fermanagh were not yours, and they were not theirs to give. They belong to the people. The people of Tyrone and Fermanagh have the right to determine their own destinies on the principle of self-determination. What right have you to Tyrone and Fermanagh? What right has your hurry-skurry Act of Parliament of 1920 to give you Tyrone and Fermanagh, or Derry City where the Nationalists are in a majority? Therefore, nothing can be taken from you that belongs to you, because those counties do not belong to you. If there be controversy as to this northern area, if it cannot be settled in any other way than by a Boundary Commission, and if that Boundary Commission is to be composed of representatives of both sides, with an impartial arbitrator to settle questions upon which we cannot agree, what is your objection to that? So far as I can see, the principle upon which you want to go is: The good old rule, … the simple plan, That they should take who have the power,And they should keep who can. There never would have been a Treaty if this boundaries question had not been left to some impartial tribunal. Since you are determined to remain out of the Free State, what substitute can you ask for this tribunal? There is to be one representative on your side and one on the side of Southern Ireland and an impartial Englishman, who is not going to be unjust to you.