The chief value in the debates lay in what they revealed rather than what they imparted.

One fact was salient.

No Nationalist was prepared to recommend acceptance of the Home Rule Act as it stood, though some of its most vehement assailants adopted great parts of its framework.

Broadly speaking, Nationalists wanted for Ireland the powers which were possessed by a self-governing Dominion, but were content to leave all control of defence to the Imperial authority and did not press any demand for a local militia.

On the other hand, there was strong insistence on the right of an Irish Parliament to have complete power of taxation within its jurisdiction.
It was manifest that the financial clauses of the existing Act would no longer apply.