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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Dec 1930

Vol. 36 No. 10

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of School Books.

asked the Minister for Education if he will state whether he will consider framing a scheme to assist in the purchase of school books for necessitous poor children attending primary schools by the utilisation of a portion of the money devoted to County Council Scholarships.

County and Borough Councils are empowered by Section 10 (2) of the Irish Universities Act, 1908, to devote a sum not exceeding the produce of a penny rate to the provision of scholarships for certain classes of students attending a university; and under Section 17 (1) of the Local Government Act, 1923, councils are empowered to devote a similar sum to the provision of scholarships for students tenable in secondary schools and vocational schools. The schemes under which both these classes of scholarships are awarded are framed by the responsible councils and not by me. Under the statutory enactments which authorise the provision of these scholarships, there is no legal authority to divert part of the moneys collected therefor to any other purpose such as that mentioned in the question.

Is the Minister aware that scholarships in some instances are awarded to boys and girls who do not need them and who are the sons and daughters of well-to-do people? Could not a scheme be framed by which portion of the money spent on scholarships would go in the direction indicated in the question—for the purchase of school books for necessitous children?

I suppose the Minister will not be able to answer this question off-hand: I should like to know the amount of free money distributed to people in the district referred to by Deputy White, what advantage has been taken of it and what advantage the State is getting out of it.

The Deputy has to some extent the gifts of a seer. I cannot answer that question off-hand. He was quite right in supposing that I would not be able to do so. I told Deputy White already that I have no power whatsoever to divert this money or to suggest that it be diverted in the direction he indicates. As regards the first portion of the supplementary question, I have no information of the type he refers to. Perhaps he would supply me with that information and I could take the matter up with the county council. Generally speaking, we have to leave the valuation of means to a large extent in the hands of the local authoritities.

Has the Minister considered the desirability of standardising school books so that they would be of some use to a family? The present system is to change readers after three or four months. The books, too, are bound in light covers, and they are of no advantage to poor families. The only advantage goes to the people who issue these books or who get money for printing them.

Is the Minister aware that the cost of these books is a great hardship on the poorer children and can he devise a scheme whereby that cost will be reduced or the books issued free?

Would the Minister consider the introduction of legislation to deal with the important matter raised by this question? In many cases at present books have to be supplied by the teachers to poor children.

This question has been raised several times, and I indicated within the last three weeks that at present I cannot see my way to introduce legislation of the type indicated. I am quite aware that there is undoubtedly a charge on the poor, as there is in connection with various other matters, but I did not feel that I was in a position to put on the funds of the State the very considerable expense that would be involved in any scheme of this kind which would have to apply not merely to Donegal but to the whole country.

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