asked the Minister for Education why his Department, while officially willing to support Irish publishing, is, by prescribing English produced texts, forcing Irish pupils to buy English-made books which could be easily produced here.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Publishing.
29.
Syllabuses of courses are framed only on educational grounds and texts are prescribed which meet the requirements of these syllabuses. Preference is naturally given to suitable texts produced in Ireland when such are available. If such are not available texts from other sources are prescribed.
Would it not be possible in cases, particularly of French texts, to prescribe the text without actually specifying the English publishing companies who produced some of these? If Irish publishing companies were given three years to produce these texts they could do as good a job as some of these English people. I had in mind texts like "Royaume de la Jeunesse" and "Le Drôle" and so on. This could be possible and would support home industry.
The Deputy can be assured that so far as Irish publishers are concerned they are given first preference but he will agree that the student is the most important element in the educational system and for that reason we have to ensure that he gets the best possible text available. The Deputy may not be aware that recently an agreement was reached with the publishers to give them three and half years notice of examination texts in order to give them an opportunity of providing the most suitable texts.
Would the Minister see to it then that in future when texts are being prescribed the English publishing company is not specified, that the text is stated without actually mentioning the English publishing company at all?
I do not know what that would involve. I will have to look into that.
Would the Minister do his best not merely to ensure that the maximum number of texts are produced in Ireland but that they are also produced by trade unionised Irish labour?
Would the Minister answer that question?
That the——
That they are produced by trade unionised Irish labour. Would the Minister do his best to secure this?
I do not know what function I could have in this regard. Personally, as a trade unionist, I prefer to see everything that is published produced by trade union labour, but I do not know what function I could have.
Question No. 30.
May I suggest to the Minister that consultations should take place regularly between his officials and the publishing companies concerned? This is the answer to it.
There are continuous consultations between the publishers and officers of my Department.
(Interruptions.)
There are of course problems and I am pretty sure Deputy Burke knows what these problems are.
That is why he is bringing the problem to the Minister's notice.