Papers reveal power-sharing proposal

Internment caused controversy among nationalists

Government papers released on Wednesday have cast new light on the effect of internment on the unionist government of Northern Ireland during 1971.

On Tuesday, Government papers issued under the 30-year disclosure rule, revealed the government was advised against internment by the British Army.

The Stormont cabinet papers show the failure of the policy led the unionist government of Brian Faulkner to consider limited power sharing.

In August 1971, troops in Northern Ireland rounded up and jailed a total of 342 men - the vast majority of them Catholics with alleged links to paramilitary organisations, and just a handful of Protestants.

Brian Faulkner: Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in 1971

It became regarded as one of the biggest mistakes of the troubles and led to a campaign of civil disobedience from nationalists and a deterioration in the security situation.

The papers contain minutes from a meeting in September 1971 where the unionist government discussed bringing nationalist politicians onto three new government committees covering social services, industry and the environment.

However, they were concerned that the move could be seen as a concession to republicans and that if an immediate decision was taken it could affect talks with nationalist MPs who had withdrawn from the Stormont administration.

The cabinet decided to issue a green paper outlining their proposals, and explaining why it was impossible to have republicans in a coalition government.

However, it said having Catholics in government not dedicated to "the destruction of the constitution" was feasible.