When Westminster assumed direct responsibility for the governance of Northern Ireland, in March 1972, this was intended to be an interim measure. Stormont had been prorogued primarily due to the nationalist reaction to internment. Therefore, a major political initiative was launched to increase the British Parliament's role in the province, reform the local institutions and security apparatus, and even to transform Anglo-Irish relations. The most notable features ofthis were the introduction of power-sharing and the proposal of a Council ofIreland. The aim of this thesis is to explain this policy in detail, with particular focus upon the reasons for it.