Original sentence: If the Parliament of Northern Ireland had not made such a declaration, under Article 14 of the Treaty Northern Ireland, its Parliament and government would have continued in being but the Oireachtas would have had jurisdiction to legislate for Northern Ireland in matters not delegated to Northern Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act.Once the Treaty was ratified, the Houses of Parliament of Northern Ireland had one month (dubbed the "Ulster month") to exercise this option during which month the Government of Ireland Act continued to apply in Northern Ireland.Realistically it was always certain that Northern Ireland would opt out of the Free State.That act, which established the Free State, allowed Northern Ireland to "opt out" of it.The Treaty was given legal effect in the United Kingdom through the Irish Free State Constitution Act 1922.The Treaty, and the legislation introduced to give it legal effect, implied that Northern Ireland would be a part of the Free State on its creation, but legally the terms of the Treaty applied only to the 26 counties, and the government of the Free State never had any powers—even in principle—in Northern Ireland.This, of course, never came to pass.Under Article 12 of the Treaty, Northern Ireland could exercise its option by presenting an address to the King requesting not to be part of the Irish Free State
Edited sentence: He reported that:.Northern Ireland’s constitutional position on 6 December 1922 was discussed in the House of Commons by the Home Secretary in 1949.On 6 December 1922 the Irish Free State came into existence by royal proclamation.On the other hand, a British lawyer who has written on the topic argues that while the Treaty, and the legislation introduced to give it legal effect, implied that Northern Ireland would be a part of the Free State on its creation, legally the terms of the Treaty applied only to the 26 counties, and the government of the Free State never had any powers—even in principle—in Northern Ireland.Realistically it was always certain that Northern Ireland would choose a future within the United Kingdom.The Anglo Irish Treaty contemplated that Northern Ireland would have a period of one month, commonly referred to as the ‘Ulster month’, during which the Houses of the Parliament of Northern Ireland could take a decision about whether Northern Ireland would form part of the United Kingdom or the Irish Free State.The ‘Ulster month’ began following the passing of the Irish Free State (Constitution) Act 1922 on 5 December 1922