The Taoiseach was delighted to learn from your telegram No. 46,¹ which we have just received, that instructions have been sent to Panico to prevent him coming here. We sincerely hope that they will have the desired effect, but Panico seems to be an extremely thick-skinned and head-strong individual.

I am sending you a copy of a report which we have just received from Kiernan. You will see from this that Panico now 'hopes to spend a fortnight in Ireland on his return journey'. This suggests a complete change of plan, but Kiernan says nothing in explanation of the change. We are asking him to confirm that this means that Panico is not coming direct to Ireland.

The fact that Panico and Bernardini are being spoken of for Dublin is a bad sign. Do you feel that the time has yet come when we could open the question of Paschal Robinson's successor with the Holy Father? Although Paschal's health is somewhat better than it was, he cannot go on very much longer. The whole difficulty is to have a name to suggest. I think the Taoiseach feels now that, if we were able to put forward a specific name, it would be an advantage.