Helen McEntee’s department won’t release drafts of kids’ EU propaganda books

Helen McEntee’s Department of Foreign Affairs won’t release draft versions of its EU propaganda book for schoolchildren because doing so could damage Ireland’s international relations and EU presidency.

Author Siobhán Parkinson sent multiple drafts of the book to the department, with civil servants suggesting edits.

In response to a freedom of information request from The Ditch, a department official said they redacted large sections of a draft chapter on foreign affairs because “they are not fully consistent with policy positions of the Irish government, but may be interpreted as such”.

“Based on the department’s direct knowledge and expertise in international relations, its strongly held position is that the disclosure and misrepresentation of this material would adversely affect the trust and working relationships between Ireland and other EU member states as the early drafts do not accurately represent the government’s position,” said the official. 

Causing measurable harm

The Department of Foreign Affairs sent the book – which cost the state more than €150,000 including VAT – to 3,217 primary schools across the country earlier this year.

It mentioned “supporting” Ukraine against Russia while merely “promoting peace” between Israel and Palestine. Neither phrasing is in the two drafts submitted by author Siobhán Parkinson to the department. 

Gaza isn’t mentioned at all in the drafts, but may have been included in the redacted portions of the documents.

The department has refused to release the drafts in full. 

Releasing the full documents would, in its opinion, “negatively impact how other member states view the Irish Presidency, thus causing measurable harm and leading to a loss of confidence and diminution of the level of trust in diplomatic exchanges”.

Below a redacted section in the first draft submitted, red text reads, “in particular, the EU will continue to work to intercept Russian drones and to prevent cyber-attacks and attacks on undersea cables and ships at sea during the Irish Presidency”. 

An edited version of this part was included in the final draft.

The published version of the book compares EU members to a "big family" who don't always agree but get along, and said the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum – criticised by human rights groups for putting asylum seekers at risk of human rights violations – and the EU’s migration policies in general are about being"fair to everyone".     

The Department of Foreign Affairs has been contacted for comment.