asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the scarcity of up-to-date law text books; and if he has any proposals to provide a solution for this problem.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Law Text Books.
8.
I am well aware of the scarcity of text books on Irish law and, indeed, in an effort to remedy that situation my Department have, for some years past, been operating a scheme of financial assistance towards the publication of such books. The scheme is operated through the Incorporated Council of Law and Reporting for Ireland, who have undertaken the publication of text books on legal subjects.
In point of fact, the real problem appears to be that there are not enough people in this country who are able and willing to undertake the authorship of text books of this kind.
I would, of course, welcome any fresh initiatives which the universities or the professional legal bodies might be in a position to suggest in the matter with a view to remedying the present state of affairs.
Would the Minister consider giving grants to people doing PhD's in particular subjects and arrange with the universities to approach it in this manner?
In effect the way the publication of books is financed involves giving a grant to the authors. I understand that the problem is not so much financial difficulties of publication but to find authors so if a person doing a thesis for a doctorate which was suitable—it might not always be suitable as a textbook— came forward and offered his thesis for publication I have no doubt the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting would be glad to go ahead with publication provided it was suitable.
Would the Minister suggest the other approach also, that where there is a scarcity of such books it should be suggested that students should take an interest in producing such books?
I doubt if students would necessarily be the best people to produce textbooks——
Post-graduate students.
——even post-graduate students—would be the best people to produce what would become definitive works in a particular field of law. For such a book to have the status which it would require the author would have to be a person with a fair amount of practical experience.