Extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet
'Wireless Broadcasting: Short-wave transmissions to the United States of America'
(HC 5/93) (Item 5) (S9092)

Following consideration of memoranda dated the 13th and the 17th May, 1949 submitted by the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs,¹ and a memorandum dated the 16th May, 1949, submitted by the Minister for External Affairs,² approval was given to the proposals of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs

1. that the necessary steps should be taken to begin short-wave broadcast transmissions to the United States of America of an emergency half-hour programme daily, as soon as it is practicable to do so; and
2. that the Departments mainly concerned, namely, the Departments of the Taoiseach (Government Information Bureau), External Affairs and Posts and Telegraphs, should confer regarding programme policy.
3. It was decided that the expenditure involved in giving effect to the foregoing decision should be met either by means of economies on the votes accounted for by the Office of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs or by means of such steps as might be determined in consultation between the Ministers for Finance and Posts and Telegraphs to increase the receipts in connection with the Service of Wireless Broadcasting.