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SUMMARY
Because hostile military forces established in Ireland would be in a position to
dominate lines of communication vital to the security of the United Kingdom and to
develop air and submarine bases for attacks against North American war capabilities,
denial of Ireland to an enemy is an inescapable principle of United States security.
As an ally in an East-West war, Ireland would be a positive asset because it could
provide sites for air and naval bases, sheltered by Britain's air defenses, from which
strategic bombing, anti-submarine, and convoy protection operations could be facili-
tated. Although Irish neutrality in such a war would probably be tolerable, it could
become necessary to utilize Ireland for these purposes under conceivable circumstances
of sustained aerial bombardment or hostile occupation of British ports. Actually, Ire-
land is already ideologically aligned with the West, is strongly Catholic and anti-
Communist, and, in spite of military weakness and the Partition issue, would probably
not remain neutral in an East-West war.
The Partition issue stems from the Government of Ireland Act of 1920, confirmed
in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. Under the Treaty twenty-six of the thirty-two coun-
ties of Ireland gained dominion status, but the six northeastern counties, established as
Northern Ireland by the 1920 Act, remained in the United Kingdom. Partition is a
constant irritant in Anglo-Irish relations. Its abolition is the principal aim of national
policy. The Irish Government has refused to join any military alliance involving the
United Kingdom while Partition continues.
Primarily a farming country, Ireland has developed economically as a source
of agricultural products for the United Kingdom. Its principal exports are live cattle,
of which it is the United Kingdom's chief supplier. Ireland is deficient in natural
resources and there are no large basic industries. A member of the sterling area with
special fiscal ties to the United Kingdom, Ireland faced difficult postwar problems as
a result of war-imposed dislocations of its economy and the inconvertibility of sterling.
At present Ireland is dependent on an ECA loan for dollar purchases. The economic
situation has shown improvement in recent months.
On 18 April 1949 Ireland will complete the process of separation from the British
Commonwealth and will thereafter be known as the Republic of Ireland. Politically
Ireland is a democracy, the structure of its government reflecting British constitutional
and legal influences. Elections, however, are by the system of proportional representa-
tion, which tends to a multiplicity of parties and makes it difficult for any party to
obtain a majority of seats in the legislature. At present the largest party is in op-
position. All others are participating in the "inter-party Government." This coali-
tion, although it has shown an unexpected stability since coming into office in Febru-
ary 1948, is in a precarious position since the withdrawal of any party or a shift of a
few votes would topple it. Ireland, however, is stable constitutionally, if not politically;
and the policies and attitudes of any other Government would not differ widely from
those of the present Government.
Note: This report has been concurred in by the intelligence organizations of the Departments of
State, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, and is based on information available
to
CIA in March 1949.
1
SECRET
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"ocrText": "SECRET\nSUMMARY\nBecause hostile military forces established in Ireland would be in a position to\ndominate lines of communication vital to the security of the United Kingdom and to\ndevelop air and submarine bases for attacks against North American war capabilities,\ndenial of Ireland to an enemy is an inescapable principle of United States security.\nAs an ally in an East-West war, Ireland would be a positive asset because it could\nprovide sites for air and naval bases, sheltered by Britain's air defenses, from which\nstrategic bombing, anti-submarine, and convoy protection operations could be facili-\ntated. Although Irish neutrality in such a war would probably be tolerable, it could\nbecome necessary to utilize Ireland for these purposes under conceivable circumstances\nof sustained aerial bombardment or hostile occupation of British ports. Actually, Ire-\nland is already ideologically aligned with the West, is strongly Catholic and anti-\nCommunist, and, in spite of military weakness and the Partition issue, would probably\nnot remain neutral in an East-West war.\nThe Partition issue stems from the Government of Ireland Act of 1920, confirmed\nin the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. Under the Treaty twenty-six of the thirty-two coun-\nties of Ireland gained dominion status, but the six northeastern counties, established as\nNorthern Ireland by the 1920 Act, remained in the United Kingdom. Partition is a\nconstant irritant in Anglo-Irish relations. Its abolition is the principal aim of national\npolicy. The Irish Government has refused to join any military alliance involving the\nUnited Kingdom while Partition continues.\nPrimarily a farming country, Ireland has developed economically as a source\nof agricultural products for the United Kingdom. Its principal exports are live cattle,\nof which it is the United Kingdom's chief supplier. Ireland is deficient in natural\nresources and there are no large basic industries. A member of the sterling area with\nspecial fiscal ties to the United Kingdom, Ireland faced difficult postwar problems as\na result of war-imposed dislocations of its economy and the inconvertibility of sterling.\nAt present Ireland is dependent on an ECA loan for dollar purchases. The economic\nsituation has shown improvement in recent months.\nOn 18 April 1949 Ireland will complete the process of separation from the British\nCommonwealth and will thereafter be known as the Republic of Ireland. Politically\nIreland is a democracy, the structure of its government reflecting British constitutional\nand legal influences. Elections, however, are by the system of proportional representa-\ntion, which tends to a multiplicity of parties and makes it difficult for any party to\nobtain a majority of seats in the legislature. At present the largest party is in op-\nposition. All others are participating in the \"inter-party Government.\" This coali-\ntion, although it has shown an unexpected stability since coming into office in Febru-\nary 1948, is in a precarious position since the withdrawal of any party or a shift of a\nfew votes would topple it. Ireland, however, is stable constitutionally, if not politically;\nand the policies and attitudes of any other Government would not differ widely from\nthose of the present Government.\nNote: This report has been concurred in by the intelligence organizations of the Departments of\nState, the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, and is based on information available\nto\nCIA in March 1949.\n1\nSECRET"
}