asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the urgent need to extend the free school book scheme so as to obviate widespread hardship to parents and the humiliation involved for the children.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - School Book Scheme.
125.
I am not so aware. This scheme was introduced in 1968 and has been very much widened in the meantime as the current provision of over £376,000 indicates.
The school principals have been given discretion in the selection of pupils for participation in the scheme which is being operated with the minimum of formality.
Will the Minister say if the amount of money being made available this year will be sufficient to give free school books to all who need them, unlike last year when only one-third of the need was met?
The Department have indeed financial provision for the people who are likely to need them and the amount of money available should be sufficient.
If we sent to the Minister letters from parents whose children need free books who have not got them——
It does not follow that the people who are always complaining are those who are most in need.
Surely it is making a mockery of the free education scheme to say that parents with a number of children have to pay £5 for each of them to provide them with books.