asked the Minister for Education the date on which a committee was appointed to advise his Department on the selection of a library of reference books in connection with the new intermediate certificate syllabuses; the personnel of the committee; whether the committee has reported; if so, on what date; and what steps have been taken to implement any recommendations it may have made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Reference Libraries.
31.
An informal committee was brought together in 1967-68 to examine the various syllabuses of the intermediate certificate course and to suggest books which might be useful in the study of that course. The committee personnel was drawn from the school associations, the Library Association of Ireland and departmental inspectors. The last meeting of the committee was held in February, 1968. There was no formal report.
Following the committee's examination of the matter a draft scheme for grants towards the cost of providing reference libraries in secondary schools was under consideration but it was not found possible to allocate resources for such a scheme because of the higher priority accorded to other demands on the finances available for education.
Could the Minister state why the committee did not report?
There was no formal report, but I am sure they made an informal report, and following the information then available to us there was an examination of a possible draft scheme, but, as I said in my reply, due to other priorities it was not possible to proceed with it.
Would the Minister explain why the committee did not formally report, and would he accept that when somebody says "I am sure something happened" it means in the English language "I am not sure it happened"?
That is a rather peculiar interpretation of the English language.
It is a normal interpretation. Would the Minister say why the committee did not report?
Because it was an informal committee.
What is an informal committee, one that does not make a formal report?