Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Jun 1935

Vol. 57 No. 8

Vote 22—Stationery and Printing.

Minister for Finance (Mr. MacEntee)

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £86,642 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1936, chun costais Soláthair Pháipéarachais, Clódóireachta, Páipéir, Greamuíochta agus Leabhra Clóbhuailte i gcóir na Seirbhíse Puiblí; chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig an tSoláthair d'ioc; agus chun Ilsheirbhísí Ilghnéitheacha maraon lé Tuairiscí Díospóireachtaí an Oireachtais.

That a sum not exceeding £86,642 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1936, for the expense of providing Stationery, Printing, Paper, Binding, and Printed Books for the Public Service; to pay the Salaries and Expenses of the Stationery Office; and for Sundry Miscellaneous Services, including Reports of Oireachtas Debates.

General Mulcahy

I should like to get some information with regard to this Vote. There is a provision in the Estimate for binding and printing an English-Irish dictionary. I asked the Minister on a previous occasion when it is anticipated this English-Irish dictionary will be ready for issue to the public, and what will be the price of the dictionary when issued. Again, there is repeated an increased amount for the publication of an Irish translation of the New Testament. Year after year money has been voted for that purpose, but, as far as we know, no progress has been made with that work. Can the Minister assure us that progress is now being made, and that the increase in the Vote over that of last year indicates that the work will be completed this year? In connection with the publication of the Oireachtas Debates and in view of the fact that at this period of the year the House sits on Tuesdays, I should like to know if something could not be done to speed up the printing, so that the Debates for the previous week would get into the hands of Deputies not later than Tuesday morning. It is very inconvenient at times, particularly when the Government is anxious to speed up business, when we often deal with matters on Thursday that the Minister has to deal with again on Tuesday, that he has to do so without the volume of the Debates being in his hands. It leads to a certain amount of extra trouble on the part of Deputies. I should like to ask whether it is because of the delay in the Stationery Office, or in any of the printing establishments, that the Trade Returns are so late in being issued. There was a time when we got monthly trade returns within 14 or 15 days after the end of the month. Now we have to wait six weeks for the official trade returns for a particular month. The volume of trade returns for March reaches us about the middle of May and for April in the middle of June. I should like to know if it is the Stationery Office that is responsible for the abnormal delay, which we were not at all used to, and which leads to a certain amount of inconvenience.

Mr. MacEntee

On the question of the earlier publication of the Parliamentary Debates, I do not see how that is going to be practicable. After all, the House as a rule sits on Fridays, and the printers have only got the remainder of that day, part of Saturday and Monday to print the Debates. I will see if anything can be done to expedite the issue of the weekly reports, because I agree with the Deputy that it is rather disadvantageous not to have them when the House sits first during the following week. On the question of the English-Irish dictionary, it was expected that that would be published last year, during the financial year ending 31st March last. I am advised now that it will probably be issued before the end of September. In regard to the publication of the Irish translation of the New Testament. some difficulties have been experienced owing to the fact that other matters than merely the adequacy of translation have, on occasion, to be taken into consideration. Arrangements have been made which, I think, will lead to the issue of the translation in fitting form at the earliest possible date. I would not go so far as to say an early date, but the earliest date possible. With regard to the delay in the issue of Trade Returns, I am not in a position to say if that can be ascribed to the procedure in the Stationery Office or not, but I will have inquiries made to see if it can be expedited. At the same time, it was not my experience in opposition that we received these returns within 14 or 15 days.

General Mulcahy

You did.

Mr. MacEntee

I agree that it is desirable they should be issued as early as possible, and I will see if anything can be done in that regard.

Vote put and agreed to.