Aide-Mémoire from Frank Aiken to Francis P. Matthews (Dublin)¹
(Copy)

I have the honour to refer to the conversations which have recently taken place between representatives of our two Governments relating to the Economic Co-operation Agreement between Ireland and the United States of America signed at Dublin on the 28th June 1948, as heretofore amended and supplemented. I have the honour to confirm the understanding reached as a result of these conversations as follows:-

1. The Government and people of Ireland conceive it to be their duty to make the maximum contribution in their power to the promotion of international understanding and goodwill, to the maintenance of world peace and to the elimination of the causes of international tension and are always prepared to join with the United States and other countries in mutually agreeable endeavours for the promotion of these objectives.
2. The Irish Government are willing to agree that the sums mentioned in paragraph 4 of Article IV of the Economic Co-operation Agreement of 1948 shall be spent by the Government of the United States in any area and for any purpose it wishes.
3. Paragraph 6 of Article IV of the Economic Co-operation Agreement shall include expenditures for such other purposes as may be mutually agreed upon in addition to those already included in the said paragraph.
4. The two Governments will establish procedures whereby the Government of Ireland will so deposit, segregate, or assure title to all funds allocated to or derived from any program of assistance undertaken by the Government of the United States so that such funds shall not be subject to garnishment, attachment, seizure or other legal process by any person, firm, agency, corporation, organisation or government, when the Government of Ireland is advised by the Government of the United States of America that any such legal process would interfere with the attainment of the objectives of the program of assistance.

If the foregoing is acceptable to Your Excellency, I have the honour to suggest that the present Note and Your Excellency’s reply accepting it as a correct statement of the understandings arrived at shall constitute an Agreement between our two Governments and shall come into force upon the date of Your Excellency’s reply.