The Northern prime minister, Mr Brian Faulkner, asked his British counterpart, Mr Edward Heath, in 1971 to "spell out" to the Taoiseach, Mr Jack Lynch, that he would not be allowed to interfere in Northern Ireland.
In April 1971, the new Stormont prime minister wrote to Mr Heath regarding the latter's intention to meet Mr Lynch. Mr Faulkner said he was "entirely happy" at the idea of such a meeting "because it is very much in Northern Ireland's interest that there should be a close and friendly relationship between the Irish Republic and the UK as a whole".
Mr Faulkner acknowledged Mr Lynch's recent comments about the North had been "entirely constructive" but reminded Mr Heath that "some little time ago he was talking in terms of his government being the 'ultimate guarantor' of 'our people' in Northern Ireland".
A great number of people in the North resented the impression that Mr Lynch and his government were "sitting in judgement on what was done by the Northern Ireland government and parliament".
In a reference to the Stormont government's ongoing reform programme, Mr Faulkner told Mr Heath: "I have no doubt that Mr Lynch will again raise the situation in Northern Ireland and I feel sure you will be telling him that there is no going back on the course which has already been set."
Mr Faulkner was concerned about press comment on the meeting and told the British prime minister: "It is important that UK sources should spell out that there is no question of Mr Lynch being allowed to interfere directly in what is a domestic UK responsibility."
Mr Faulkner said he stressed this point because he knew that the British prime minister appreciated "just how important it was to restore the credit and standing of the Northern Ireland government".
The whole question of London-Dublin-Belfast talks was a "sensitive" issue, specially in light of the reference by the British Labour leader, Mr Harold Wilson, to "a constitutional conference".
In a letter to Faulkner on June 4th, 1971, the British home secretary, Mr Reginald Maudling, said that while the British government "should not give any impression that Mr Lynch's government was being invited to intervene in Northern Ireland affairs", they could not deny him the right to raise matters affecting the region.
During April the problem of republican parades dominated a meeting of the Stormont cabinet.
Reviewing the proposed Easter parades, Mr Faulkner said the joint security committee believed only two of these posed any serious problems: that at Lurgan, where the Tricolour over part of the route had not been permitted, and that at the Loup in south Derry, "which will be banned completely".
The PM agreed, at the suggestion of the minister of community relations, Mr David Bleakley, to consider the chances of getting television companies to "play down" the various parades, though he was not optimistic on this point. Difficulties were foreseen about the wearing of Republican uniforms and the carrying of Tricolours and the minister of development, Mr Roy Bradford, suggested that an open presence of army and police photographers might act as a deterrent.
There will be further coverage of the State papers released under the 30-year-rule in tomorrow's Irish Times. It will include additional papers relating to Northern Ireland, dating from 1969, due to be made public by the British government in London.