asked the Minister for Education if he will state what is the estimated expenditure per head on school books by children attending national schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Expenditure on School Books.
Arrangements are made locally at each national school for the purchase by the children of books, for the purpose of secular instruction. The books are selected by the manager from the list of books approved by my Department from year to year for use in national schools or are specially sanctioned at the manager's request. Consequently, I have no information upon which a reliable estimate of the expenditure per head on school books by children attending national schools could be based.
Would it not be possible to give a rough estimate?
That would be difficult, also, in view of the number of standards. The average number of children on the rolls of national schools for 1942-43 was, approximately, 460,000.
Is the Minister aware also that the prices of books for schoolchildren are exorbitant?
That is a different question, Sir.