asked the Minister for Education if he will investigate the present situation with regard to the availability of reasonably priced printed editions of the works of Irish national, historic and patriotic writers; and if, taking into consideration the desirability on educational grounds of such writings being available to school-children and students, he will consider the possibility of sponsoring the production of such editions where they are not now available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Works of Irish Writers.
10.
My Department's functions in relation to the publication of books are confined to the publication of original works, translations and text books in the Irish language. These are published at very reasonable prices. It is not open to the Department to enter the field of private publishing.
Is it true that the works of the authors of Séadhna and the like have been withdrawn in their original form, and are now being reprinted in what is known as standard Irish, and that the texts as published in the original Munster dialect are no longer available?
That seems to be a separate question.
There will be a change in the text books towards standardisation which is very desirable.
Is the Minister seriously saying that the original texts, in their original Irish, are to be withdrawn and rewritten in bastard Irish, which no one speaks and which no one ever has spoken? Are the original texts to disappear from circulation altogether? If that is so, if Peadar Ó Laoghaire does not rise from his grave and walk down O'Connell Street, it will be a miracle. Is the Minister suggesting that he is going to suppress the original works of an tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire and substitute a bastard translation in a language which no human creature ever spoke until it was invented in Marlborough Street? I was told that that was so, and I said I could not believe it. Is it true?
It is not a question of suppressing the original texts but the preparation of text books has been under study, and it is necessary, for the sake of the child, to have the text books so arranged and printed in such a language, and in relation to word frequency, that they will be standardised and made easier for the children. I do not know whether the description the Deputy puts on this easier way of teaching a language is accurate.
What language?
Is it possible that we in this country are now to suppress——
No.
——the original novels of an tAthair Peadar Ó Laoghaire and reprint them in a language no human creature has ever spoken, but which we have invented?
The Deputy has asked that several times.
There is no question of suppressing the texts, but we are producing text books which will be standardised and graded, and printed in the Cló Rómhanach. This is being done for the purpose of teaching the language.
And the old texts will be no longer used?
The new text books will be used by pupils starting next year, and they will learn the Irish language from graded standardised text books.
What Irish?
The Irish in the text books.
It is not spoken in this country.
No human creature speaks it.
This is an attempt to have it taught and understood now.
Is the Minister for Education sending to its death the only language that was ever spoken by our people, and teaching the children of the rising generation a language no one has ever spoken, on the Steppes of Russia, or anywhere else in the world? That would be so awful and so outrageous as to make one breathless.
Living tongues are constantly changing and people are not now speaking the language of their forebears.
Living tongues are not changed by the Minister for Education for the time being.
A language the Irish do not know.
Is fíor duit.