Memorandum by Frank Aiken

Sir Walter Hankinson came to see Mr. de Valera today at 11.15 p.m. in Government Buildings. I was present during the interview which lasted for 40 minutes. Sir Walter said that he had, at Mr. de Valera’s request, made enquiries about the possibility of our getting supplies of arms in England. Sir Walter said that in answer to Mr. de Valera’s question of a month or so ago he had made enquiries and found that the British authorities would do everything possible, in keeping with their other commitments to countries which had a higher priority, to supply us with arms and equipment. He said he was perfectly satisfied that the non-fulfilment of our orders was not due either to a ban from on top or to any stoppage down the line; that it was in fact due to the demands being much greater than the supply. In fact in regard to one particular item, small arms ammunition, the British had demands for a small surplus which was 25 times the supply available.

The Taoiseach stressed the desirability of our being equipped, and illustrated the situation in a future war by reference to the dangers disclosed by the last war. He re-iterated that of course the British approach to co-operation with Ireland would have to be on the basis of Irish neutrality for that was the furthest any Irish Government could promise to go, but he pointed out urgent reasons for Ireland being strong enough to repel attack and he illustrated this by instance of air-borne attacks.

I intervened to urge that as the British answer to Mr. de Valera’s question was satisfactory as it emphasised British good will towards arming and equipping Ireland, that the British should indicate to us that they would be prepared to help us to produce certain arms which were simple to make but perhaps required a lot of man hours, such as mortars and machine guns. Sir Walter promised to enquire whether this will be possible.

The Taoiseach recalled that during the negotiations in 1947¹ we had emphasised to the British Government that in the sterling difficulties it might be very much more effective to see that men were employed producing goods in Ireland rather than that they should be compelled to emigrate to Britain with all the housing and feeding difficulties in that country. He indicated that there might be things that we could make here that Britain wanted which were not exactly war-like stores.