The Minister for Industry & Commerce has submitted for the consideration of the Government a draft Assistance to Industries Bill together with an Explanatory Memorandum and a Summary of the Explanatory Memorandum. A copy of each of these three documents is attached.¹

The Bill proposes to set up a Trade Advisory Council which will, inter alia, assist exporters of Irish goods by operating a commercial intelligence service and organising exhibits of Irish goods in other countries.

The Department of External Affairs has no objection to make to the scheme as drafted, but the following aspects of the matter are of interest to us:

• If the Council appoints agents or correspondents abroad, there is a possibility of the duplication of the work of our diplomatic and consular representatives. There should be co-operation and understanding between the Department of Industry & Commerce and the Department of External Affairs on this point.
• The publication or circulation of the Council's reports on trade conditions in other countries might expose us to embarrassment. Perhaps there should be an interdepartmental understanding that such reports should not be issued without our having seen and approved of them.
• In the choice of agents and correspondents in foreign countries, especially where there is a large Irish population, it would be desirable for the Council to seek the advice of our diplomatic and consular representatives in order to avoid the appointment of persons unsuitable for national or other reasons.