Volume 1 1919~1922


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 96 NAI DFA ES Box 14 File 96

Department of Foreign Affairs Standing Orders

Dublin, July 1921

General

The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for seeing that all ministerial instructions, ministerial and Presidential declarations and all DAIL DECREES are forwarded to the Representatives of the Republic abroad.
  The D.F.A. will forward from time to time such reports as will keep the Foreign Representatives informed of the home situation.
  The D.F.A. will report to the Ministry and to the DAIL on the activities of such Representatives and generally on the International situation.
  The D.F.A. will make such recommendations to the Ministry as are necessary for the extension and improvement of the foreign services of the Republic.

Finance

The D.F.A. shall see that no commitments involving new expenditure are undertaken by the F.R. until the proposals for such new commitments have been sanctioned by the Ministry.
   The D.F.A. shall obtain from the F.R. a quarterly estimate for the ensuing quarter covering (a) a sum based on present expenditure (b) sum to be utilised for contingencies (c) a sum recommended to cover extensions of present establishment if any such contemplated.
   The D.F.A. shall submit such estimates to the Ministry through the M.F. with such recommendations as are necessary.
   The D.F.A. shall place such sums as are sanctioned by the Ministry to the credit of the F.R. who is not to draw on the contingency fund without having first received the sanction of the D.F.A. unless in cases of unforeseen special demands in which case the F.R. is to report at once to the D.F.A. that such fund has been drawn upon and to state to what amount.
   The D.F.A. shall obtain from each F.R. a monthly balance sheet showing expenditure and cash on hands, and the D.F.A. shall furnish a copy of same to the M.F. so that it may be embodied in latter's reports to the Ministry.

Trade and Publicity

Except concerning such matters as deal with the routine work of the offices, all correspondence between the F.R. and the Trade and Publicity Departments are to pass through the D.F.A.

Communications on matters dealing with trade and Propaganda received from abroad are to be forwarded by the D.F.A. to the respective Departments which will be responsible for supplying through the D.F.A. all reasonable requirements of the F.R.