Confidential report from Frederick H. Boland to Seán Murphy (Dublin)
(Secret) (Copy)

I saw Sir Gilbert Laithwaite this morning at his own request. He told me that the new British Ambassador² will fly to Dublin on the morning of the 12th September. He asked me to let him know the date of presentation as soon as it is fixed. He expressed the hope that it would be as early as possible so that the new Ambassador could take up his official duties without delay. He mentioned that the new Ambassador’s Letter of Credence would be in the same form as his predecessor’s.

2. Sir Gilbert went on to refer to the British Government’s recent secret note about IRA activities.³ He said that although the Prime Minister was much concerned about recent developments, the note had deliberately been drafted in non-contentious and non-provocative terms. He indicated that, in fact, he had drafted the note himself. Several British Ministers felt strongly that the Church in Ireland could do much to prevent the spread of IRA activities. That was the origin of the final paragraph of the note which had been drafted as discreetly as possible.
3. Sir Gilbert asked me whether he could say anything to the Prime Minister about our attitude to the note and the probable date of the reply. I said that I knew that the matter was receiving very careful and active consideration but I had gathered that there was no disposition to rush the reply to it. Sir Gilbert said that that was all right from their point of view; he wouldn’t wish to be taken as pressing us in any way.
4. In the course of further conversation, Sir Gilbert said that the provocative speeches made by Sinn Féin representatives at Camden Town had placed the Government in somewhat of a difficulty. The present disposition was to ignore them but if there were a repetition, it might become a different matter. He also referred to the possibility of the reimposition of travel controls. He said there was general recognition that they would be an effective safeguard but they were so cumbrous and costly that everything possible would be done to prevent a return to them.
5. I suggested to Sir Gilbert Laithwaite that the British press did harm to give so much publicity to IRA activities, having regard to the fact that a major aim of these activities seemed to be to attract publicity and raise the prestige of the organisation. Sir Gilbert made a special note of this point and said he would see what could be done about it.