asked the Minister for Agriculture when it is proposed to publish the Rural Reader for Primary Schools which has been in draft in his Department for some considerable time.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Reader for Primary Schools.
26.
After careful consideration and consultation with the Minister for Education, I have come to the conclusion that this type of Reader would not be suitable for use in primary schools. The question of how nature study and interest in rural matters generally might be further promoted in primary schools is under discussion by the Departments of Agriculture and Education.
Is there not to be any agricultural reader in the primary schools? There was one for many years but it was dropped.
There is a very long history concerning this question and the background to it and the last I have heard from the Secretary of the Department of Education after all these discussions is that the Department would not regard the work when revised as suitable for this purpose. I have indicated that discussions are taking place to see if anything along these lines could be produced.
Is it not a fact that this is a revision of Baldwin's agricultural reader which was in use for very many years and is it now proposed that there will be no agricultural reader?
It was a very long time ago.
Not so very long. I think this revision was in the Department of Agriculture in the last four or five years and it is suitable. If it is not going to be issued as revised, would the Minister say if some analagous reader will be produced?
The question of its revision has been under discussion for almost ten years——
The revision is in your Department.
Yes, but the wisdom of producing it was under discussion. The revision itself is another matter.