asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what are the causes operating to prevent members of the Oireachtas receiving copies of the Irish Trade Journal at the same time as they are issued to others.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Deputies and “Irish Trade Journal.”
Except in the case of copies issued to the Press, the copies of the Irish Trade Journal and Statistical Bulletin sent to all names on the free mailing list are issued through course of post on the same day. It has been customary to send advance copies of the journal to the Press immediately the first supply is received from the printers and a period of three to four days may elapse before the complete supply is received from the printers to enable copies to be sent to those names on the free mailing list and copies to be sent for sale to the Government Publications Sale Office.
Is the Minister aware that seven or eight or nine days pass even before a copy of the journal is placed in the library, and does he not appreciate that it is objectionable that official publications should be discussed in the Press or elsewhere at a time when members of the Oireachtas are not able to refer to a copy even in the library?
They are all sent out on the same date.
But the fact is that for several days after the details of important information contained in the Irish Trade Journal were dealt with in the Press, it was not possible to refer, even in the library, to those details published in the Irish Trade Journal.
Deputies received them at the same time as the library.
If it is possible to send out a dozen copies to the Press on a particular date, is there any reason why a second or a third dozen copies should not be available, or why at least the library should not be furnished?
The Deputy understands that this journal is not a Parliamentary document, and there is no obligation to send copies to Deputies at all; but there is a courtesy arrangement by which Deputies, on request, get a copy sent to them free of charge. The arrangements apparently involve that some draft copies come in advance of the main supply, but the distribution of copies to those on the mailing list cannot be undertaken until the main supply arrives.
Am I to understand, then, that the Stationery Office has no responsibility for the printing of the Irish Trade Journal?
I would want notice of that question.
If the Minister is ablo to say to the House that this is not an official production——
It is not. It is not a Parliamentary production.
Well, the sooner it is made a Parliamentary journal, in view of the information it contains, the better.
It ia a publication of the Department of Industry and Commerce.