asked the President whether he is now able to communicate to the Dáil the membership and terms of reference of the Irish Historical Manuscripts Commission.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MANUSCRIPTS COMMISSION.
The arrangements for the setting up of the Irish Manuscripts Commission have now been completed. The following gentlemen have been appointed members of the Commission:—
Eoin McNeill, B.A., D.Litt., Professor of Early (including Mediaeval) Irish History, University College, Dublin, to be Chairman of the Commission.
R. I. Best, D.Litt., Librarian, National Library of Ireland. W. F. Butler, M.A., D.Litt., Assistant Commissioner of Secondary Education.
Rev. T. Corcoran, S.J., D.Litt., Professor of Theory and Practice of Education, University College, Dublin.
E. J. Gwynn, M.A., D.Litt., D.Litt. Celt., Provost of Trinity College.
James Hogan, M.A., Professor of History, University College, Cork.
R. A. Stewart Macalister, M.A., D.Litt., F.S.A., Professor of Celtic Archaeology, University College, Dublin.
Right Rev. Monsignor James MacCaffrey, D.D., D.Ph., President, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth.
J. F. Morrissey, B.A., Assistant Deputy Keeper of the Records.
The Terms of Reference are as follows:
1. To report on the nature, extent, and importance of existing collections of manuscripts and papers of literary, historical and general interest relating to Ireland, and on the places in which such manuscripts and papers are deposited, and to advise as to the steps which should be taken for the preservation and publication of such manuscripts and papers, whether in public collections or in private ownership, and for the collection of any such manuscripts and papers as may be in danger of being lost or obliterated.
2. To prepare, after such consultation with University authorities and other learned bodies as the Commission may deem desirable, and submit from time to time, for approval, to the Minister for Education, and, subject to such approval, to arrange for and supervise the execution of programmes of work to be undertaken in—
(a) the preparation and publication of calendars and catalogues of such manuscripts and papers; (b) the editing and publication of hitherto unpublished texts in Old Irish, Middle Irish and Modern (other than contemporary) Irish. and of other hitherto unpublished manuscripts relating to Ireland, due regard being had to their relative linguistic, literary and historical importance;
(c) the publication of photographic facsimiles of important codices, in particular of those in the possession of institutions or individuals outside Saorstát Eireann;
(d) the revision and republication of important works already published but now out of print or difficult of access.