Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Jun 1935

Vol. 57 No. 8

Vote 24—Ordnance Survey.

Minister for Finance (Mr. MacEntee)

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £23,099 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1936, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí na Suirbhéireachta Ordonáis agus Mion-tSeirbhísí, ar a n-áirmhítear Macsamhla de Láimhscríbhinní Seanda do dhéanamh.

That a sum not exceeding £23,099 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1936, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Ordnance Survey and of Minor Services, including the Facsimile Reproduction of Ancient Manuscripts.

Mr. Esmonde

Can the Minister say whether any proceedings are being taken by this Department to bring out some up-to-date maps from the point of view of aviation? There is a certain lack of proper flying maps. In other countries in which I have been—England, France and even in Eastern Europe—they have very good modern flying maps for the guidance of aviators. There is a certain lack in that respect here. Certain maps that were printed under the British régime have been reprinted, but generally they only cover very small areas. It would be well if arrangements were made to issue maps for the convenience of visitors that will be coming here in increasing numbers, and in order that we should have such maps as other countries have.

Mr. MacEntee

I will bear in mind what the Deputy says in that respect, and bring it before the notice of the Director of the Survey.

General Mulcahy

I am sorry, Sir, but there was one question that I wanted to mention in connection with this. I did not realise that it was related to this Vote. I should like to know whether anything has been done in the Ordnance Survey with regard to the preparation of suitable maps in Irish. There is a lamentable absence of anything like a reasonable map of Irish counties in the Irish language— or even of a map of Ireland. I understand that a certain amount of progress has been made with regard to the preparation of such maps, but I think everyone will agree that the progress that has been made in the provision of county histories and maps in the various counties is slower than we would like to see. There is an increasing amount of schools throughout the country where instruction is being made through the medium of Irish. More concentration is being put on the teaching of geography and history through the medium of Irish than on the teaching of other subjects through the medium of Irish. Nevertheless, we are completely without maps in Irish. I should like to know from the Minister whether or not there is any prospect of such maps being made available. It is obvious that nobody else except the Government is going to do it.

Mr. MacEntee

As a matter of fact, I can inform the Deputy that a certain amount of work has been going on in that connection for quite a long time, but the Deputy will understand that, sometimes, it is not very easy to determine the correct form of all the Irish place names to be put on the maps. I am sure that the Deputy is aware that the question of the proper names of places has been a matter that has led to considerable controversy in the past. However, a Committee has been working on that matter, and a good deal of work has been done by that Committee already. I can assure the Deputy that that matter has not been lost sight of.

General Mulcahy

The Minister has been very general in his statements. If there is a difficulty in clarifying certain Irish place names, and if the Department of Education and the Ordnance Survey Department are sitting down in front of that difficulty, I am afraid that it means that nothing will be done for a couple of hundred years. However, if we could get from the Minister some assurance that some particular county is engaging the attention of the Ordnance Survey Department, we would feel more hopeful.

Mr. MacEntee

I can tell the Deputy that counties to the number of 26 have been engaging the attention of the Ordnance Survey Department. Moreover, that a committee, so far from sitting down in front of the difficulty, which the Deputy has mentioned, has got quite a distance along the road. However, if the Deputy means that these maps should be published according as they are ready, I shall put that matter before the Department concerned.

Vote put and agreed to.