Letter from Thomas J. Horan to Alfred Kolb¹ (Dublin)
(Secret) (Copy)

Some days ago you telephoned me asking for information about Ireland’s diplomatic relations with other States, e.g., what are the States with which Ireland has no diplomatic relations, etc., etc.

Ireland, though an ancient nation, is a comparatively young State. Consequently the number of countries with which to date it has formal diplomatic relations is comparatively small. That number, however, is no doubt likely to increase. The fact, therefore, that Ireland has no formal diplomatic relations with a particular country does not mean that diplomatic relations were not opened with that country for ideological reasons. There are many countries with which in the opinion of the Department it would be in the interests of Ireland to have diplomatic relations but, for one reason or another — very often reasons of a financial order — we have not yet ‘got around to it’. A country in this category would, for instance, be Denmark.

There is, of course, another set of countries with which we have no diplomatic relations, and if the question of opening diplomatic relations arose, the question of ideological differences would almost certainly have to be considered, e.g., USSR.

I should, however, point out that Ireland does recognise the USSR, both de jure and de facto — with this exception however that Ireland does not recognise the territory of the USSR insofar as it includes the three Baltic Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Neither does Ireland — either de jure or de facto — give recognition to the following States:-

With regard to Poland, Ireland, in common with some other States, still recognises the former Polish Government. As you are aware the Polish Government in exile has a career Consulate here in Dublin.²

Ireland gives only de facto recognition to the State of Israel, not de jure recognition.

I hope the foregoing gives you the information you wish to have.