asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state whether the chairman of the Davitt centenary meeting at Straid on 9th June, 1946, submitted to the broadcasting authorities the text of the speech broadcast from Radio Éireann; the date and time at which it was submitted; whether the text approved by the broadcasting authorities was adhered to; if so, whether he will state if any objection was taken to the paragraph in which the Taoiseach was referred to as the head of the State, and, if so, with what result.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Davitt Commemoration Speeches.
Mr. Corish
I have been furnished with the following information by the Director of Broadcasting in regard to the matters referred to in the question:—
The manuscript of the reverend chairman's speech for the Davitt commemoration ceremony at Straid was received by post in the Broadcasting Station on 31st May. The text of the manuscript was adhered to, apart from a deletion made necessary by the absence from the ceremonies of his Grace the Archbishop of Manila. The attention of the reverend chairman was not drawn to the phrase referred to.
The function of the Director of Broadcasting is confined to dealing with matters of grave public importance. It is really not part of his duty to alter details in the text. The speaker is responsible for his own text and the widest latitude should be allowed. Obviously the phrase head of the State was a slip for head of the Government. It is most undesirable that either myself or Deputies should interfere with the discretion of the Director of Broadcasting, except in matters of general policy and of grave public importance.
Will the Minister have a copy of the instructions given to the Director of Broadcasting in relation to the duties thus imposed upon him placed in the library?
I do not think there are any actual written instructions to the Director of Broadcasting. The Director can use his own discretion in all these matters.
Mr. Corish
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state whether a manuscript of the speech delivered by the Taoiseach at Straid on 9th June, 1946, was submitted to the broadcasting authorities, the date and time at which it was submitted; whether a complete manuscript was submitted, and if so, whether it was adhered to; whether the speech as broadcast from Radio Eireann corresponded in all respects with the text distributed to the newspapers; and whether the text as approved for broadcasting contained the alterations and corrections appearing in the Press releases.
The Taoiseach's manuscript was submitted on the morning of June 8th, and on the morning of the broadcast the Director of Broadcasting was informed by telephone of certain minor changes that had been made. The text was adhered to. I have no function whatever in connection with what appears in the daily Press.
Did I understand the Minister to say "June 8th"?
Yes.
Why was the manuscript of the leader of Fine Gael and the manuscript of the leader of the Clann na Talmhan Party requisitioned a week ahead of the broadcasting date, if the manuscript of the Taoiseach was not called for until the day before?
All manuscript are requisitioned at least a week before, but all manuscripts do not come in a week before.
That is fairly obvious.
And if they are from the Big White Chief you had better say nothing about it.
Any facility required by any leader would certainly be given, if requested. It might be necessary in the case of persons who live some distance away to make sure that the manuscript is sent in time so that they can be communicated with. In this case, as the Deputy knows, there were people living out of this country who had to be communicated with in reference to their manuscripts. If any person asks for less time it is, of course, within the discretion of the Director of Broadcasting to make his own arrangements in that connection.
May I inquire of the Minister if he is aware that I was told —I do not know personally whether the leaders of the other Parties were informed of this—that if my manuscript was not in Radio Éireann eight days before the broadcast I would not be allowed to speak. I have now discovered that the Taoiseach's manuscript was in Radio Éireann the night before but that, if he wanted to amend it in the morning, he could talk all he wanted; and is the Minister aware that that information was given to the Taoiseach—that he could talk all he wanted, because if any other information was given to him he would sack the man who gave it?
The Deputy is not telling the truth.
May I ask the Minister if the information which was sent to the other speakers was also conveyed in the same terms to the Taoiseach?
It was not.
Will the Minister say if the Taoiseach was informed that his manuscript would have to be with the broadcasting authorities at least a week before the date of the ceremonies in Straid?
I have not asked the Director of Broadcasting that exact question; but what the Director of Broadcasting told me was that it was the general rule to ask for the manuscript a week before. I know perfectly well—and I mentioned this to a member of the Opposition unofficially—that if anybody wanted to be facilitated the Director of Broadcasting would always facilitate him.
Did the Taoiseach ask to be facilitated or did he take leave himself?
I have no idea. That is a matter within the discretion of the Director of Broadcasting. The matter was entirely one between the Director of Broadcasting and the people who were taking part. I was not concerned in it and it is not part of my function to interfere.
Will the Minister say how he reconciles his answer now to Deputy Morrissey's question with the fact that when we broadcasted upon previous occasions in connection with the work of the Defence Conference we were not asked to submit our manuscripts?
Because the Deputies were then under the control of censorship.
Exactly. You had a censorship then.
During the emergency.
Is the emergency still on then?
No.
How could we be under the control of the censorship when we went there with our manuscripts and they had not been seen by anybody?
I understood they were seen.
By whom?
I do not know.