asked the Taoiseach if the cost of printing and distributing the brochure entitled "Ireland is Building", described as published by the Stationery Office, has been defrayed in whole or in part out of public funds, and, if so, whether he is aware that the brochure is regarded by many members of Dáil Éireann as partisan in character and the utilisation of public funds for its publication as an abuse, and if he will give instructions forthwith for its withdrawal pending its revision by a Committee of the House.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Printing and Distributing of Brochure.
The brochure referred to by the Deputy was produced and is being distributed with the object of helping to achieve the aim which all Parties and all members of the House have at heart, namely, the building of the maximum number of houses for our people in the shortest possible time, and the provision of the hospitals which are so sorely needed for the proper care of the sick. The immediate purpose is to encourage every available skilled building worker among those who have emigrated to return home and to contribute his skill and industry to the building of houses and hospitals, by drawing attention to the opportunities which are being and will be afforded of longterm constant and remunerative employment.
The cost of printing the brochure and of distributing it in Britain is being defrayed from public moneys. I am perfectly satisfied that the brochure cannot reasonably be regarded as partisan in character and that the utilisation of public moneys for the purpose is not an abuse. Credit for what was achieved during the period of office of the previous Administration has not been withheld, but the brochure does not purport to be an historical review.
I have no intention of giving instructions for the withdrawal of the brochure, as suggested by the Deputy.
Does the Taoiseach not consider that if the purpose of the Government in producing this pamphlet was to serve national rather than partisan propaganda it would have been desirable to have consulted the Opposition Party in its preparation?
The purpose of the brochure was of a national and not partisan character. I see no reason why we should in this particular instance have consulted the Opposition. Possibly we know what we might have been told had we done so. The charge that this brochure is partisan in character is, in my view, one made utterly recklessly and without any evidence or foundation.
Is the Taoiseach aware that there are many misstatements in the pamphlet?
I am aware that I can give references to portions of the pamphlet where credit is given for what was done by previous Administrations. The difficulties of the war years are sympathetically described at the beginning of the brochure. Rapid recovery has been specifically stated as occurring since 1945 and tables on local authorities' schemes are set out. The part of the brochure dealing with Dublin states:—
"Already under successive Administrations immense progress has been made. In the Kimmage-Crumlin suburb built in the decade before the war a population equal to that of the City of Limerick has been re-housed in modern comfort."
The pictures of old houses (old Drogheda and Dublin tenements) date from a time prior to 1921, not as stated by the Deputy in the Irish Press to-day —modern photographs. A number of photographs are of pre-1948 schemes— Donnycarney (A New Suburb Arises). On a number of occasions the present and late Minister for Local Government made references to the co-operation which they were getting from all Parties on housing. In order that Deputies may see how utterly reckless is this charge, may I refer to the statement made by the present Minister for Local Government at Louth on the 13th September this year:—
"My worthy Ministerial predecessors of all Parties had in the past given this subject of housing considerable thought. It has been recognised by all that housing was the great social problem—that from it sprang many other social evils and problems of human conduct. I therefore acknowledge very gratefully the support I have received in the Dáil for my recent Housing Bill from all Parties."
Again, at Ennis, on the 19th July, the Minister stated:—
"The main fact in connection with the housing programme in the last 16 or 17 years in this country is that it has been pressed forward under different Administrations with a determination which nothing but the consequences of a world war could interrupt."
I can give the Deputy other references in the brochure where it is clearly recognised that this is not an historical pamphlet, and it is certainly not a partisan pamphlet.
In view of the fact that the Opposition Party regard it as partisan, regard many of the references in it as dishonest and many statements as inaccurate, does the Taoiseach not think that its publication by the Government at the taxpayers' expense should be reconsidered?
I regard the allegations made by the Opposition Party and, in particular by Deputy Lemass, as utterly reckless.
I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.