Minutes of a Conference held in Mr. Gallagher's Room on Saturday, 22 July 1950
'Measures to be taken for the protection of Irish citizens in Europe in the event of war'

1. One step that should and could be taken now is to ensure that the Special Index of Irish Citizens, which the Missions were asked to assemble in 1948, is complete.
2. In the event of an invasion of Western Europe by Russia, Irish citizens are not likely to be treated as neutrals, even should the State be neutral. The moment tension develops they should, therefore, be advised to take their departure (at once).
3. With that end in view, machinery should be set up for getting in touch with our citizens and advising them to leave. If necessary, and possible, the Department would decide when such advice should be given.
4. A letter for despatch, when the time arrived, to each citizen in Western European countries, would be prepared and copies stencilled in the Department. The Missions on the Continent would get stocks of these letters and have them ready for issue, so that they could be despatched at once, if and when the moment for issue arrived. The terms of the letter should be definite; it should advise the recipient to leave, not merely warn him that he should be ready to leave.
5. Consideration should be given to the question of enlisting the assistance of the British authorities in getting our citizens out of the Continent, in view of the special transport facilities (e.g., special trains) that would presumably be at their disposal.
6. The ordinary registration procedure would be applied, where necessary, where citizens would ask our assistance in such cases. The procedure, however, would be simplified and exhaustive enquiries would be dispensed with. Facilities for return to Ireland would be extended not only to citizens, but also to their dependents even if non-citizens. Necessary funds would be advanced on demand.
7. The possession of an Irish passport, or evidence of being registered in the Special Index referred to in 1 above, would be accepted as evidence of Irish citizenship. No other evidence would be accepted.
8. The possibility of having an Aer Lingus ‘plane to evacuate the Heads of Mission, staff and family was discussed. Should a preliminary approach be made to Aer Lingus now?
9. The possibility of enlisting the co-operation of Aer Lingus and Irish shipping companies for the evacuation of Irish citizens from the Continent was also discussed. It was thought to be hardly possible. In the event of war, air and sea routes would be controlled.
10. The Head of Mission + Staffs should get their families out of the country of his accredition, at State expense, not later than the time of issue of the letter to Irish citizens.
11. Notices printed in French, German and Russian can be prepared and sent to citizens, with the ‘warning to leave’ letter, and which they could use on sealing up their property.
12. It was thought that a letter should be issued to Heads of Mission telling them not to stay on in the event of a war with Russia in Europe; that they should make their departure as soon as possible after issue of ‘warning to leave’ to citizens. A Head of Mission must not run the risk of staying behind and being interned. In the event of an invasion of Western Europe by Russia, his neutral status, if it existed, would almost certainly not save him from internment.

Preparations to be made in Chancelleries

13. Secret and confidential files should be segregated so that, when the moment arrives, they could be burned.
14. Stocks of passport booklets should also be destroyed.
15. The Head of Mission should bring with him, when departing, the Consular Service stamps, rubber stamps and the last statement of account.
16. Everything else should be sealed up. The door of the Mission should also be sealed. If the State should be at war, all these, except secret and confidential files, would be given to the Protecting Power (i.e. if one could be found).

In the event of our neutrality, the question of our accrediting someone to the Russians would arise. It would, in the event of war, in which we were neutral, be necessary to have some means of communicating with the Russians. This would seem to imply the opening of diplomatic relations with the Russians and would only arise afterwards and could be dealt with only by a representative on the spot. Notices printed in French, German and Russian could be prepared and sent in advance to citizens for use where necessary.