6 th Year History FOREIGN AND ANGLO-IRISH POLICY

Cumann na nGaedheal’s Foreign Policy: Making the Treaty Work  Anglo-Irish relations important because:  Nearest and powerful neighbour  Controlled the North.  Trade and emigration.

Trying to establish sovereignty within the Treaty  Cosgrave insisted on an Irishman and as Governor General.  This was not the case in other dominions.  Neither Timothy Healy nor James MacNeill tried to interfere in government decisions.  Irish passports were introduced despite British objections.  Ireland joined the League of Nations despite British objections.  In 1926 Ireland, South Africa and Canada got Britain to accept the Balfour Declaration.  This stated that all members of the Commonwealth were of equal status and led to the Statute of Westminster.

1931 The Statute of Westminster  A dominion parliament could repeal any law previously passed for them by the British Parliament.  Collins had been right, Treaty had proved a stepping stone, republic now a possiblity.

British Commonwealth

Assessment  These achievements were substantial.  Privately Dev admitted that the Free State government had done ‘a magnificent job’  However they were not easily understood by the electorate.

De Valera’s Foreign and Anglo-Irish Policy: Dismantling the Treaty.

De Valera’s approach:  Made himself Minister for External Affairs.  Dev was active in the League of Nations because:  Emphasised sovereignty  Kudos (praise) at home  Friendly nations would be useful when he dismantled the Treaty

Bit by Bit  First the Oath was abolished.  Downgraded the Governor General. Maynooth shopkeeper represented the king.  Refusal to pay the land annuities led to the economic war.  The Senate was dominated by C na G. Delayed a lot of Dev’s bills. They delayed the bill abolishing themselves for 2 years until  When Edward VIII abdicated Dev took the opportunity to remove all references to the king from the Free State constitution.

Bit by Bit  External Association had been achieved.  Bunreacht na hÉireann made us a republic in all but name  GB was preoccupied with Hitler

1938 Anglo-Irish Agreement  Both Dev and Chamberlain wanted reconciliation before war began.  The Coal-Cattle pacts had ended the economic war in  Talks in London resulted in: £10 million in compensation Treaty ports returned. 3 year free trade agreement. Chamberlain hoped this would result in a defence treaty allowing GB to use Irish ports but Dev demanded an end to partition. No deal.