About the same time, the first independent companies of Catholic Guides were founded in Ireland.

When the diocese based Catholic Guide organizations formed the federation of the Catholic Girl Guides of Ireland (CGI) in 1972, the new organization expressed the wish of joining WAGGGS.

After nearly twenty years of negotiations, both organizations agreed to establish the Council of Irish Guiding Associations in 1992.

[2] The aims of CIGA are to The organisation is overseen by a committee, with four members each from the Irish Girl Guides and the Catholic Guides of Ireland; the committee's chairmanship rotates biennially between the two organizations.

[3] Additionally, there are four observers representing Guiding in Northern Ireland, two from CGI and two from Girlguiding Ulster.