Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Clare Daly for her comments. In deference to the time and the fact that answers have been given already, I will respond to her last point, which is very interesting. We are in the middle of a transition from paper to electronic format. I would encourage schools to do this and we will try to co-ordinate it. Because of the universality of the different systems under which one can use iPads or different types of tablet which are compatible in terms of receiving information - this was not the case in the past when, for example, one had Betamax and VHS platforms for video - there is an argument at post-primary level for electronic storage of much of the material that young students are using, with extraordinary savings. As a non-professional educationalist, my own view is that young infants from two, three and four years of age, and those up to the age of ten, should feel the texture of a book and the printed word in reading and writing, and the physical holding of it. It is about more than merely getting information. It is about getting used to the format in which much information will remain in situ for the rest of their lives, even though they will be highly engaged in digital learning as well. That is why the book rental scheme at primary school level is so important. I will deal with the issues Deputy Daly raised and about which I answered the other Deputies.

See this speech in context