asked the Minister for Education the steps he takes to ensure that prescribed textbooks are available for students at the beginning of the scholastic year.

Textbooks for the intermediate and leaving certificate courses are prescribed only in the case of certain language texts. Many of these prescribed texts, short stories, poetry, et cetera, consist of anthologies which contain the courses for a period of years. Many of the other prescribed texts, plays, novels, are repeated at regular intervals. Details of the prescribed texts are normally notified to the publishers about two years in advance. The details are notified to schools around the month of May of the previous school year.

Is the Minister aware that text books which appear on the school curriculum may not be available in the shops for several weeks after the beginning of the school term?

I agree that this happens. It is a matter that has been referred to by a number of Deputies during the debate so far on the Estimate for the Department which is now before the House.

The Department publish their syllabus two years in advance and I would suggest that schools might take notice of this question-and-answer session and notify all parents well in advance of the books that will be required so that these unnecessary delays will not occur. In so far as delays are caused by publishers not having the books available, the House will agree that it would be in the economic interest of publishers to have the books published—apart from exorting them and urging them in this regard there is nothing else I can do in so far as they are concerned.

Would the Minister agree that the changing of text books at various times can create difficulties for parents of large families in so far as text books cannot be passed from one child to another?

I would agree but, on the other hand, I would be reluctant to interfere with the professional freedom of teachers in respect of the choice of text books. One must endeavour to maintain a balance in this regard.

Surely the Minister decides on the text books to be used?

The syllabus is a matter for me but not the text books except in relation to a few areas.