Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Diarmuid O'Hegarty (Dublin)

A Chara,

I am instructed by the Minister for External Affairs to request you to arrange for a discussion at an early meeting of the Executive Council on the Agenda of the Imperial Conference.

2. Attached is a brief memo¹ setting out the chief items on the Agenda, as well as the chief questions affecting the status of the Dominions which require to be determined in order to make effective the co-equality of the Dominions with Great Britain. The points set out are those which have particularly affected the work of this Department. No doubt other Depart-ments will have also met with difficulties arising from the existing ambiguous status of the Dominions. Steps will be taken to discover the nature of these difficulties.

3. The points for immediate decision are two:-

The Minister will state his views on both these points to the Members of the Council and will also request them to appoint a sub-committee of the Cabinet for the purpose ² of giving particular attention to the preparations for the Conference. Detailed Memoranda on all relevant points will be prepared and sent to you for consideration by the sub-committee.