Secretary,

Department of Finance.

I am directed by the Minister of External Affairs to refer to Department of Finance minutes No. 851/2¹ on the subject of expenditure on entertainment by this Department's Representatives abroad and to ask you to move the Minister of Finance to convey his sanction for the expenditure by the Representative at Paris of a sum not exceeding 8,000 Francs per annum.

The Representative at Paris in his relations with French Government Officials, Journalists, Publicists and Merchants, finds it necessary to be in a position to offer some small entertainment to persons with whom he is in negotiations in connection with official business. He is also frequently offered hospitality because he is the Representative of the Saorstát and it is obviously desirable to make some small return.

The Minister of Finance will be aware that the Representative at Paris devotes a considerable portion of his time to the collection of information for the Department of Industry & Commerce and in helping Irish Traders in France generally. To be successful in this it is often necessary to make indirect approaches and the medium of hospitality is the most obvious and follows the established custom on the Continent.

It is proposed that the method of vouching for entertainment expenditure should be a certificate each month certifying the amount spent on hospitality in connection with his official duties and giving the names and position of the persons entertained, nature of the business transacted and the amount spent on each occasion. In this way it is considered that a sufficient check may be maintained so as to ensure that the money is well spent.