asked the Minister for Finance whether in view of the dearth of employment for printers in Dublin he will help to remedy this cause of unemployment by (1) having all statutory rules and orders at present imprinted made available in printed form forthwith, and (2) having all existing statutory rules and orders published in annual bound volumes from 1922 to date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Printing of Statutory Rules and Orders.
It is anticipated that certain of the statutory rules and orders at present not available in printed form will be printed in the near future, but it is unlikely that all such rules and orders will be printed as many of them were of temporary application and are now obsolete. The question of the form in which existing statutory rules and orders made since 1922 should be published is under active consideration. It raises, however, issues of some complexity, and in the circumstances, and while I am personally sympathetic with the consideration urged in the Deputy's question, I am unable to give an indication as to when it may be possible to put in hand the work of publication, in whatever form may be found desirable.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, over and above the consideration set forth in my question, is the Minister aware that a very large part of statute law now consists of statutory orders, and that, in the event of litigation arising involving reference to statutory orders, it is necessary for counsel to consult every issue of the Iris Oifigiúil going back to 1922, in order to find the statutory orders and peruse them? Does not the Minister think it is time now, seeing that we publish the statutes every year, that we should publish the statutory orders? They are in existence; it simply means gathering them together and putting them in a book.
I think there is a good deal of reason in what the Deputy has said, but it is not to-day nor yesterday that this question has arisen. It has been in existence a good many years.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, since the statutory orders are there could he not get them printed and assembled in a book by the printers of Dublin, who are being disemployed every day for want of work to do? Is that not the very essence of public work, which tides a trade or industry over a difficult period such as they are at present experiencing as a result of the international situation?
I will look into the matter.
Would the Minister, consider bringing the index to those. orders up to date? That will be a cheaper matter and more easily attended to.