Government of Ireland Bill Enacted

The Government of Ireland Act 1914 was the Home Rule Bill that had been first introduced in 1912 and debated in Parliament for two years, which was finally passed under the Parliament Act 1911 and given Royal Assent on 18 September 1914. However, on the same day a Suspensory Act was also passed, which suspended the enactment of two Acts of Parliament (the Government of Ireland Act and the Welsh Churches Act) initially for 12 months due to the outbreak of war.

Subsequent developments in Ireland, including the Easter Rising 1916 and the Irish Civil War, led to subsequent postponement of the Government of Ireland Act and, finally meant it never came into effect.

In 1920, a repealing Government of Ireland Act was passed. However, this too was never to be enacted.

In 1922, rather than Home Rule being introduced, Ireland was divided into two: the South to become a democratic republic and the North (Ulster) to remain part of the United Kingdom.