27 November 1997 Edition
End one-sided debate
Over the past week the Irish public have once again been treated to a round of one-sided arguments in relation to Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution. The issue came into the public arena this time following David Trimble's meeting with Bertie Ahern.
As with every meeting between a Unionist politician and the Taoiseach, it was followed by the same old sterile media debate about how the Dublin government is willing or ought to be making plans to abandon Articles Two and Three.
In all of this very little comment was made regarding Britain's 1920 Government of Ireland Act or the 1973 Northern Ireland Constitution Act which constitute the British claim to jurisdiction over the Six Counties.
How Irish media commentators can speak at length about Articles Two and Three outside the context of these British Acts beggars belief. The unilateral removal of Articles Two and Three would leave the British claim to the Six Counties uncontested in law - in effect withdrawing in international law the constituional demand for Irish unity. Those who recommend the abandonment of Articles Two and Three effectively accept the validity of the British claim in the 1920 Act, Section 75 of which reads: ``Notwithstanding....anything contained in this Act the supreme authority of the parliament of the United Kingdom shall remain unaffected and undiminished over all persons, matters and things in Ireland and every part thereof''. This now applies to the Six County area. To abandon Articles Two and Three would leave this claim constituionally unchallenged. What kind of message would that send to Northern nationalists?
It is pointless and dangerous to speak of Articles Two and Three outside the context of the British claim to the Six Counties. It is irresponsible for Irish commentators to attempt to barter away those Articles while all-party talks aimed at securing a just political settlement have yet to get down to the substantive issues. While we have heard much of the need for a ``balanced'' political arrangement, it would help if we could begin by having a ``balanced'' debate on issues as serious as the constituional rights of the people of Ireland.
As with every meeting between a Unionist politician and the Taoiseach, it was followed by the same old sterile media debate about how the Dublin government is willing or ought to be making plans to abandon Articles Two and Three.
In all of this very little comment was made regarding Britain's 1920 Government of Ireland Act or the 1973 Northern Ireland Constitution Act which constitute the British claim to jurisdiction over the Six Counties.
How Irish media commentators can speak at length about Articles Two and Three outside the context of these British Acts beggars belief. The unilateral removal of Articles Two and Three would leave the British claim to the Six Counties uncontested in law - in effect withdrawing in international law the constituional demand for Irish unity. Those who recommend the abandonment of Articles Two and Three effectively accept the validity of the British claim in the 1920 Act, Section 75 of which reads: ``Notwithstanding....anything contained in this Act the supreme authority of the parliament of the United Kingdom shall remain unaffected and undiminished over all persons, matters and things in Ireland and every part thereof''. This now applies to the Six County area. To abandon Articles Two and Three would leave this claim constituionally unchallenged. What kind of message would that send to Northern nationalists?
It is pointless and dangerous to speak of Articles Two and Three outside the context of the British claim to the Six Counties. It is irresponsible for Irish commentators to attempt to barter away those Articles while all-party talks aimed at securing a just political settlement have yet to get down to the substantive issues. While we have heard much of the need for a ``balanced'' political arrangement, it would help if we could begin by having a ``balanced'' debate on issues as serious as the constituional rights of the people of Ireland.