Draft notes of a conference held in the Board Room, Treasury Chambers,
Whitehall, London
(Secret) (C.A./H./48 - 8th Minutes)

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER stated that in his view the amount of payment to be fixed should cover the Wood Renton awards and personal injuries and the proposal for a ten per cent addition should be dropped. The effect of adding ten per cent would be to swell the claims on the fund. He would prefer to meet the hard cases needing further assistance in another way. In the course of that day it would be necessary to draw up an agreement which could be signed by the three Prime Ministers and possibly be published in the press immediately. He had prepared a first draft of a suitable preamble which he would read to the Conference (Appendix).¹ It would not be necessary to include the question of political prisoners in the Agreement.

MR. COSGRAVE approved generally the terms of the draft preamble.

MR. O'HIGGINS asked whether it might be possible to add a paragraph on the following lines:

'In the event of the Government of the Irish Free State and the Government of Northern Ireland at any time entering into an agreement for the political union of all Ireland the British Government and the Government of the Irish Free State will respectively promote such legislation and take such steps as may be necessary to give effect to such agreement.'

Its inclusion would have a sentimental and political value.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER was doubtful of the wisdom of incorporating this addition in view of the possible opposition of eminent Ministers.

But he would consider the point.

MR. COSGRAVE agreed that if it were found difficult the point should not be pressed.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER raised the question of the Prime Minister seeing the members of the Boundary Commission with a view to asking them to suppress or postpone the issue of their Report and Award. He proposed that in the first instance the Prime Minister should see the Commission and that later, if agreeable to the Commission, the three Prime Ministers should meet the Commission and make a formal application to them to suppress the Award. It could be published later as a matter of historical interest.

Some discussion took place as to the time when legislation should be introduced in the British and Free State Parliaments to give effect to the Agreement.

MR. COSGRAVE'S view that there should be no unavoidable delay and that action should be taken if possible in the course of the next week was generally shared by those present.

The Conference agreed -

(1) That the Prime Minister should be asked to invite the Boundary Commission to meet him that afternoon and that he should inform the members of the position reached by the three Governments. If they indicated a willingness to suppress the Award, a meeting with them should be held later in the day at which the three Prime Ministers should present a joint address asking that the Award should be withheld.

(2) That a Committee should meet to agree and record the details of the financial settlement between the two countries, the Committee to consist of:-

(3) That a Committee should meet at once to prepare the Agreement for signature by the Prime Ministers, the Committee to consist of:-