- Latest available (Revised)
- Point in Time (31/07/1998)
- Original (As enacted)
Version Superseded: 02/12/1999
Point in time view as at 31/07/1998.
There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Government of Ireland Act 1920 (repealed 2.12.1999).
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An Act to provide for the better Government of Ireland.
[23rd December 1920]
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Act restricted to Northern Ireland by Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act 1922 (13 Geo. 5 Sess. 2 c. 2), s. 1(1)
C2Except where their inclusion is required by the context, references to Southern Ireland are omitted under authority of Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42), s. 3
Commencement Information
I1Act wholly in force at Royal Assent
(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1
(2)For the purposes of this Act, Northern Ireland shall consist of the parliamentary counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone, and the parliamentary boroughs of Belfast and Londonderry.
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C3Unreliable margin note
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F3S. 3 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7
(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8
(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
(7)The seats of the Goverments of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland shall be at Dublin and Belfast, respectively, or such places as the Parliaments of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland may respectively determine.
(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
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F7S. 8(2) repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42) and Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36), Sch. 6 Pt. II
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C4Unreliable margin note
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(1)(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F12
(3)Save as may be otherwise provided by Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, the existing law relating to the Exchequer and Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom shall apply with the necessary modifications to the Exchequer and Consolidated Fund of Northern Ireland . . . F13
(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F12
(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F14
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F13Words repealed by National Loans Act 1968 (c. 13), Sch. 6 Pt. I
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C5Unreliable margin note
(1)—(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F15
(4)Any articles which are brought into Great Britain or the Isle of Man from Ireland, or into Ireland from Great Britain or the Isle of Man, shall be deemed to be articles exported or imported for the purposes of the forms to be used, and the information to be furnished under the M1Customs Consolidation Act 1876 or any Act amending that Act, but for not any other purpose.
(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F15
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F15S. 21(1)–(3), (5) repealed by Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36), Sch. 6 Pt. I
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C6Unreliable margin note
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(1)Purchase annuities payable in respect of land situate in Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively, including any arrears thereof due or accruing due on the appointed day, shall be collected by the Governments of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the amounts so collected shall be paid into their respective Exchequers, but nothing in this Act shall confer on either such Government any powers with respect to the redemption of purchase annuities.
(2)In each year a sum equal to the amount payable in that year in respect of purchase annuities shall be paid into the Irish Land Purchase fund or account, or other appropriate fund or account, out of moneys provided by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
(3)Where after the appointed day an existing purchase annuity is redeemed, a sum equal to the annuity shall be paid out of moneys provided by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Exchequer of Northern Ireland, in each year so long as the purchase annuity would, if not redeemed, have continued to be payable.
(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18
(5)For the purposes of this Act—
the expression “purchase annuities," . . . F19, includes annuities for the repayment of advances made under any of the Land Purchase Acts prior to the M2Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act 1891, and annuities for the repayment of advances made under the M3Labourers (Ireland) Act 1906 or under any other Act relating to land purchase in Ireland;
the expression “existing purchase annuity” means a purchase annuity payable in respect of an advance made in pursuance of a purchase agreement entered into, or, in the case of a purchase annuity payable under the M4Labourers (Ireland) Act 1906 in pursuance of a scheme approved before the passing of this Act;
the expression “new purchase annuity” means a purchase annuity payable in respect of an advance made in pursuance of a purchase agreement entered into or, in the case of a purchase annuity payable under the M5Labourers (Ireland) Act 1906 in pursuance of a scheme approved, after the passing of this Act.
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F19Words repealed by Finance Act 1963 (c. 25), Sch. 14 Pt. VII
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C7S. 26(2) amended by National Loans Act 1968 (c. 13), s. 3(4)
Marginal Citations
(1)The power of collecting and enforcing the payment of sums due on account of loans made before the appointed day to authorities and persons in Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland out of the local loans fund, the development fund, the road improvement fund or other similar public fund, shall be transferred to the Governments of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively, and the amounts so collected by them shall be paid into their respective Exchequers:
Provided that this section shall not apply to advances out of the local loans fund for the purposes of the enactments relating to land purchase in Ireland.
(2)A sum equal to the amount due in respect of such loans shall in each year be paid into the appropriate fund out of moneys provided by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and shall, subject to the deduction of such sum as the Joint Exchequer Board think just to cover such loss as may be anticipated to result from payments on account of any such loans proving to be irrecoverable, be made good by deductions from the [F20Northern Ireland] residuary share of reserved taxes in accordance with regulations made by the Treasury.
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F20Words substituted by virtue of Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act 1922 (13 Geo. 5 Sess. 2 c. 2), s. 1, Sch. 1 para. 4(3)(a)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C8S. 27 restricted by Public Works Loans Act 1952 (1 & 2 Eliz. 2 c. 3), s. 6(3)(4)
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F21S. 28 repealed with saving by Finance Act 1975 (c. 7), ss. 50, 52(2)(3), Sch. 13 Pt. I
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F22S. 29 repealed (and superseded in part) (31.7.1998) by 1998 c. 36, ss. 150(1)(4), 165, Sch. 27 Pt. V(2)
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F23S. 30 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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F24Ss. 31, 32 repealed by Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36) Sch. 6 Pt. I
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F27Ss. 35, 36 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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F30S. 39 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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(1)Subject to the provisions of this Act and any modifications or adaptations made by Irish Transfer Orders under this Act, all enactments relating to the Supreme Court of Judicature in Ireland and the judges and officers thereof shall apply to the Supreme Court of Judicature in Northern Ireland and the judges and officers thereof, as they apply to the Supreme Court of Judicature in Ireland and the judges and officers thereof, and as if for references to the High Court of Justice in Ireland there were substituted references to the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland and as if for references to the Court of Appeal in Ireland there were substituted references to the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland.
. . . F32
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F33
(3)(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F34
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F32S. 41(1) proviso repealed by Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 (c. 23, SIF 38), s. 122, Sch. 7 Pt. I
F33S. 41(2) repealed by Northern Ireland Act 1962 (c. 30), Sch. 4 Pt. IV
F34Ss. 41(3)(4), 42, 43 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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F35Ss. 41(3)(4), 42, 43 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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F40S. 48 repealed by S.I. 1973/2163, Sch. 6
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F41S. 49 repealed by Northern Ireland Act 1962 (c. 30), s. 30(2), Sch. 4 Pt. I
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F46Ss. 54, 55 repealed by Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), s. 18(5), Sch. 8 Pt. II except in relation to pensions for service ending before 27.7.1971
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F47S. 56 repealed by Superannuation Act 1972 (c. 11), Sch. 8
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F48Ss. 57–59 repealed by Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), s. 18(5), Sch. 8 Pt. II except in relation to pensions for service ending before 27.7.1971
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F49S. 60 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
All existing laws, institutions, and authorities in Ireland, whether judicial, administrative, or ministerial, and all existing taxes in Ireland, shall, except as otherwise provided by this Act, continue as if this Act had not passed, but with the modifications necessary for adapting them to this Act, . . . F50
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F50Words repealed by Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36), Sch. 6 Pt. I
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64(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F52
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F53
(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F54
(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F53
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F53S. 64(2), (4) repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
F54S. 64(3) repealed by S.I. 1981/610 (N.I. 18), art. 1, Sch.
(1)It is hereby declared that existing enactments relative to unlawful oaths or unlawful assemblies in Ireland do not apply to the meetings or proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ireland, or of any lodge or society recognised by that Grand Lodge.
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F55
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F56S. 66 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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(1)No law made by the Parliament of Northern Ireland . . . F58 shall have effect so as to prejudice or diminish the rights or privileges of any existing or pensioned officer of a local authority under the provisions of the Local Government (Ireland) Acts 1898 to 1919 . . . F59
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F60
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F58Words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
F59Words repealed by Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), s. 18 (5), Sch. 8 Pt. II except in relation to pensions for service ending before 27.7.1971
F60S. 68(2) repealed by Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), s. 18(5), Sch. 8 Pt. II except in relation to pensions for service ending before 27.7.1971
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C9Unreliable margin note
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F61Ss. 69, 70 repealed (without prejudice to Orders already made) by Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36), Sch. 6 Pt. I
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F62S. 71 repealed by Representation of the People Act 1948 (c. 65), Sch. 13
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F63S. 72 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
The expression “existing” means existing at the appointed day:
. . . F65
F66. . .
F66. . .
F66. . .
F66. . .
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F65Definitions repealed by Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36), Sch. 6 Pts. I, II
F66Definitions in s. 74, except that of "existing", repealed (5.11.1993) by 1993 c. 50, s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt.XI Group 2
Notwithstanding . . . F67 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.
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F67Words repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42), and Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 (c. 36), Sch. 6 Pt. I
(1)This Act may be cited as the Government of Ireland Act 1920.
(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F68
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F68S. 76(2) repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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F70Sch. 2 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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F74Sch. 8 repealed by Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), s. 18(5), Sch. 8 Pt. II except in relation to pensions for service ending before 27.7.1971
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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F75Sch. 9 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1927 (c. 42)
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