Broadcaster and author The 1920 Government of Ireland act created a border that divided Ireland - but how did politicians approach the issue? David McCullagh explains The Government of Ireland Act which became law in December 1920, and which divided the island of Ireland into two separate political entities, solved a problem for Britain without satisfying the aspirations of any group in Ireland. For Britain, partition solved the dilemma of how to reconcile the competing demands of nationalists and unionists in Ireland by giving each a part of what they wanted – a measure of independence for the former, without leaving the latter under the control of a parliament in Dublin.