Extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet
'Relief of Distress in Europe'
(G.C. 4/72) (Item 1)

Consideration was given to a memorandum dated 26th April, 1945¹ and accompanying statement,² submitted by the Minister for Finance. It was agreed generally that, so far as might be found practicable, supplies of the kind and on the scale indicated in the statement attached to the memorandum should be made available for the relief of distressed areas in Europe.

It was thought that it would be more desirable that such supplies should be allocated to Governments than to international relief organisations and it was decided that the Department of External Affairs should take the initiative in opening discussion of the matter with the Governments in question and in considering, in consultation with the other Departments concerned, arrangements for the collection and shipping of the supplies. A memorandum on the methods of procedure proposed to be adopted should be submitted to the Government.

It was understood that some of the Governments concerned might prefer to pay for some or all of any supplies made available.

With regard to the question of private collections of clothing, it was agreed that some special body should be appointed to co-ordinate the activities of the various parties who had interested themselves in this work, that a committee appointed by the Irish Red Cross Society would form the most suitable nucleus for such a central body and that charitable organisations such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Society of Friends, etc., should be invited to appoint representatives to a central committee of the kind. It was decided that the Irish Red Cross Society should be approached accordingly.

It was agreed that a reference to the question of providing supplies for relief in Europe should be made by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Speech and that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance should consult as to the form which such reference should take.³