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Irish spies tried to rig an Italian election and used the equivalent of €2million to fix the result, explosive secret documents have revealed.

It has emerged that cash was channelled through the Irish Secret Service in a murky plot that would not be out of place in a James Bond movie.

But while this country was supposedly neutral and had refused to become involved in WWII the Irish Government was secretly engaged in rigging the 1948 Italian General Election.

Documents released this week clearly show the intervention in the affairs of a friendly foreign state was authorised by the then Minister of External Affairs Sean MacBride.

He sanctioned that the cash be channelled from the Irish Secret Service account to Ireland’s embassy in the Vatican. It was then passed on to right-wing groups who were opposing the communists in the election and was to be used for “propaganda purposes”.

The papers show that the government of the time was terrified that the top secret operation would be blown and feared that even “strongly anti-communist Italians might take exception” at Ireland trying to rig their elections.

But at a time when Ireland was one of the poorest countries in Europe the Irish Ambassador to the Vatican Joe Walshe urged the Dublin Government to send bags of cash to a shadowy group called Catholic Action.

The ambassador also did not rule out Irish people becoming involved in an Italian civil war.

He wrote: “If we could send a substantial sum of money for propaganda purposes out of SS (secret service), it could be kept a complete secret.

“Even a few thousands would be very gratefully received at the point where we appreciate gratitude most.

“If civil war comes – and if it does the Church will be the first victim – I have no doubt that volunteers from Ireland, well equipped, would be most warmly welcomed. They will only be one of many contingents.”

The documents show that External Affairs Minister MacBride, in a letter to the Archbishop of Armagh John Dalton, confirmed £25,627 from donations and from State funds had been secretly channelled to Rome.

Ironically the cash was not needed but it was not returned as the Christian Democrats easily won the election.

The volume of Irish foreign policy documents from 1948 to 1951 show Ireland was virtually run by the Vatican.

They also reveal that revered republican and former IRA chief of staff Sean MacBride was particularly subservient, offering to “repose at the feet” of the then Pope Pius XII.

His first action on becoming External Affairs Minister was to write to the Pope offering to do his bidding.