asked the Minister for Finance the intended print order of the Government's White Paper "The Accession of Ireland to the European Communities" and the proposed print order of the shortened version for free general circulation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC White Paper.
53.
The print order for the White Paper will be such as to meet the demand. To date, orders have been placed for 15,000 copies and a close watch will be kept on the trend of sales so that further orders can be placed if required.
It is intended to order 200,000 copies of the shortened version of the White Paper. Here again, further orders will be placed if warranted by demand.
I wonder if the Minister is aware that when the first batch of the White Paper was printed inadequate supplies were provided for Deputies and that in my own particular case, as spokesman for the Labour Party on this subject, barriers were put in the way of obtaining sufficient copies to consider the White Paper properly, even though I gave undertakings that I would not impinge on any deadline that might be imposed? This is a very unsatisfactory situation from a Deputy's point of view, when many copies of that document had been given to other organisations throughout the country.
I am not aware of what the Deputy is referring to but I gather from what he said that he is talking about getting a number of copies of the White Paper before they were issued to other Deputies.
I asked for three. I wanted to obtain them at the time they were being put into the post to other Deputies because as spokesman on the subject I wanted a little time to study them. I was not facilitated in that request.
Would the Minister not agree that it is entirely unsatisfactory that Deputies, particularly spokesmen from the Opposition parties on this subject, should receive their copies two and a half days after they were issued and 48 hours after the White Paper appeared in the newspapers, bearing in mind that Deputies are expected to know about these things and to be able to comment on them?
[Cavan]): This does not arise on the question.
We had on these benches yesterday a great deal of talk about propaganda on this EEC business. What is this but propaganda and what is the cost? The stuff that has been produced so far is contradictory internally and all the rest of it. Do the Government believe that they are behaving as a Government should behave in relation to this matter?
(Interruptions.)
I am asking simple, short questions. Does the Minister think that the Government are behaving as a Government should behave in producing 200,000 copies? For what purpose? To put their own point of view on this matter before the people. Will the Minister provide facilities for us to provide 200,000 copies of the case against going into the Common Market?
I do consider that the Government are acting properly in this matter.