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Dáil Éireann - Volume 254 - 25 May, 1971

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Departmental Bulletin.

20. Mr. Corish asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs what purpose is served by the publication of the Bulletin of his Department entitled Eire, Ireland.

Dr. Hillery: The purpose of the Bulletin published by my Department is to give information on Irish affairs and on the objectives of Government policy. It is aimed primarily at an audience in foreign countries and is distributed to news media, libraries, universities, societies and other institutions, industrialists and in general, persons and bodies known to be interested in Ireland.

Mr. Corish: Would the Minister read the first sentence again?

Dr. Hillery: “The purpose of the Bulletin published by my Department is to give information on Irish affairs and on the objectives of Government policy.”

Mr. Corish: It does not do that.

Dr. Hillery: Would the Deputy be specific about what it does not do?

Mr. Corish: The last publication was filled with Fianna Fáil blah for readers in this and other countries.

Mr. Harte: The only good thing about it is that nobody reads it.

Mr. Corish: It represents the views of the Fianna Fáil Party.

Dr. Hillery: If the Deputy is saying that one copy of the Bulletin did not give information on Irish affairs that [16] is a different thing from what he said when he started off, that the Bulletin does not do it.

Mr. Corish: The only political comment in it is Fianna Fáil comment. There is no reference to any other party. All we get is the Taoiseach's speech at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

Dr. Hillery: That is a most important declaration of policy.

Mr. Corish: Or the speech of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Dr. Hillery: The Deputy should get used to the idea that there is a difference between being in Government and being out of Government. What the Head of a Government says is important.

Mr. Corish: It is a Government Fianna Fáil order.

Mr. B. Lenihan: The elected Government.

Dr. O'Donovan: Is it appropriate that the Taoiseach's speech should be reproduced in detail in this official Bulletin?

Dr. Hillery: I think it very appropriate. A declaration made by the Head of the Government is important Irish policy not alone at home but abroad.

Dr. O'Donovan: Go to Clare.

Mr. Corish: It is purely a Fianna Fáil view.

Dr. Hillery: As he is the Head of the Government he gets that measure of importance which nobody else can get.

Dr. O'Donovan: Every single item in that Bulletin was Fianna Fáil propaganda.

An Ceann Comhairle: I am calling Question No. 21.

Mr. Coogan: Why does the Minister not call it “Mise Éire”?

Dr. Hillery: If the Deputy makes a good speech I shall put it in.

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