asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that the only books of English prose and poetry prescribed for students who in this school year are commencing the two years course for the Leaving Certificate examination in the school year 1967-68 are not yet available in the city of Cork; and if he will take steps to ensure that his Department, before prescribing books, will inquire if such books are available for students.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - School Text Books in Cork.
31.
Mr. Barrett
I am not aware that the textbooks in question are not available in the city of Cork. The selections of prose and poetry prescribed for the Leaving Certificate examination in English in 1968 are taken from anthologies in use for a number of years. In the case of other prescribed matter in English, advance notice is given by my Department to Irish publishers in order to enable them to make the text available in good time.
Does the Minister not agree that there should be some advance information given to schools with regard to the textbooks required so as to avoid overcrowding in book shops and the queuing that takes place after the opening of the schools? I am sure the Minister must have experience of this himself, apart from his Ministerial experience.
I have some experience of this but the fault lies not with the Department of Education. For the Leaving Certificate examination there are three textbooks prescribed—one a selection from anthologies which have been in use in the schools for quite a number of years and have been freely available for years past. There is a Shakespeare play and, in connection with the honours course, there is an additional text or texts. Apart from the anthologies which have been in use for some years, the Shakespeare play and the other texts were notified to the schools quite some time ago. About three years before the actual examination they are prescribed and notified by the Department.
What is the need of all the queuing in the first week?
I think it may be that the schools do not want to confuse the issue by mentioning next year in the middle of this year.
Or be confused listening to Ministers.