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Volume 9 1948~1951

Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 47 NAI TSCH/3/S14299

Summary of a memorandum to Government by the Department of External Affairs concerning the departmental re-organisation required for the administration of the European Recovery Program

Dublin, 28 April 1948

  1. It is hardly necessary to emphasise the importance of E.R.P. to Ireland. However, while E.R.P. does open up a wide and a new vista of advantages, it is also fraught with many economic consequences that may be harmful to us. It is therefore highly imperative that we should be properly equipped and prepared to deal with all its aspects. In addition, it is also essential that we should organise ourselves to discharge the responsibilities that we have entered into.
  2. The question of staff organisation in connection with the European Recovery Programme has now become very urgent. Any inefficiency, delay or lack of attention in dealing with E.R.P. may have very serious results on our national economy.
  3. Much of the work will require to be done in Paris, Washington and Dublin. The necessity for fairly frequent absences of the senior officials of the Department of External Affairs at meetings in Paris, and possibly London and Washington also, is, therefore a factor to be borne in mind in considering organisation and staff requirements.
  4. E.R.P. will, to a greater or lesser degree, involve four Departments: External Affairs, Finance, Industry and Commerce and Agriculture.

    5. The centralisation and co-ordination of other policies, requirements and data of the four Departments involved can most conveniently be undertaken in the Department of External Affairs.

  5. The Minister for External Affairs proposes
    • That all questions of policy in connection with E.R.P. should be determined by the Economic sub-Committee of the Cabinet itself.
    • That the task of co-ordinating the data, the policies and the requirements of the different Departments should devolve on the Department of External Affairs, wherein a special Section to deal with E.R.P. would be formed.
    • That the Minister for Finance be charged with the responsibility of creating and supervising the administration of the local currency fund visualised.
    • That the Minister for External Affairs be empowered to consult directly with the Ministers for Agriculture, Finance and Industry and Commerce in relation to administrative matters connected with E.R.P. affecting their respective Departments.
  6. In addition to the machinery visualised in the last preceding paragraph, it may be found convenient to set up inter-departmental committees to deal with various problems arising from E.R.P.
  7. The task of the Economic Section visualised in paragraph 5 would be:-
    • To obtain and co-relate under the Departments involved the requirements and statistical data necessary.
    • To comply with the requirements of the Administrator in Washington and of the Secretariat of the Organisation in Paris.
    • Prepare comprehensive briefs for our representatives in Paris, Washington and London.
    • To provide for permanent representation in Paris and for any special representation that may be needed in Washington or London.
    • To study, analyse and transmit to the Departments concerned the information and reports that will become available through the organisation and the 15 other nations.
  8. If the proposal contained in paragraph 5 is acceptable to the Government, it will be necessary to increase the staff of the Department of External Affairs by approximately four additional posts. It is proposed that the Economic Section should come under a second Assistant Secretary who would have under him an additional Counsellor, first and third Secretary. This second Assistant Secretary would also have under his control that section of the Department of External Affairs that now deals with trade and various organisations such as: E.C.E., F.A.O., I.C.A.O., I.T.O., I.A.O., W.H.O., etc. It is also essential to have in Washington and in Paris a permanent representative to deal exclusively with E.R.P.
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