Letter from John W. Dulanty to Sir Thomas Inskip (London)

Dear Secretary of State,
Further to our conversation on the 7th February when I handed you a note on the question of Police information raised in your note on the 31st January, your Police authorities at Scotland Yard have since made inquiries of our Chief Commissioner in Dublin¹ about the identity of certain persons (whose photographs were forwarded) held in custody in England on suspicion of having participated in the recent bomb incidents. My Government feel that the position of our Guards - whose effectiveness must depend not a little on popular support - would be seriously undermined if persons already detained in England on suspicion of having participated in what they and their friends would describe as acts of political violence were sentenced to terms of imprisonment in England on information supplied from Ireland. The Irish Police Authorities will certainly do their best to keep the British Police informed of anything which might be necessary to prevent the commission of acts of violence in Great Britain. If, however, our police had to make enquiries relating to the antecedents or associations or movements in Ireland of Irish persons arrested in England in the circumstances under consideration, the sympathy of the ordinary country people which is so necessary for them in the detection of ordinary crime would be alienated.

There is moreover, the risk of serious ill-feeling being engendered against the Irish Police which might have grave consequences.