Extracts from a letter from Timothy A. Smiddy to Desmond FitzGerald (Dublin)
(Private and Confidential)

A Chara,

Mr. KERNEY has written the following letter dated the 22nd January to this Department:

'I have to inform you that my appointment as Irish Consul in Paris has been confirmed by the Government of the Irish Republic and that consequently all further communications which you may wish to send to this Consulate should reach me through the medium of my Government.'

The Minister wishes you to ask Kerney to hand you over the finances he has on hands as well as the office furniture. A list of the furniture¹ is enclosed. His money on hands at the end of December was: 22,558 francs. The best attitude to adopt is that you take the handing over as a matter of course.

The property and money belong to the Irish Government and to refuse your request would be patent dishonesty.

I attach, a formal letter giving you power to take over from him.

If he refuses to hand over perhaps you could convey to him that a notice will of course be issued to the Irish press warning all traders etc. to have nothing to do with him. Naturally the Irish Government can only treat him as a common thief and must arrest him as such when he arrives here.