 Following the 1929 Lateran Treaty between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See, other states including the Irish Free State exchanged envoys with the Holy See for the first time.Fianna Fáil deplored that the government had failed to consult the bishops about the diplomatic exchange.Éamon de Valera – together with many other senior clergymen – believed that the Holy See was pro-British and, therefore, opposed diplomatic relations with the Holy See.