asked the Minister for Education the criteria adopted for the allocation of finance to schools for the free schoolbook system; and if it is based on the number of pupils or the number of medical card holders per school.
Written Answers. - Schoolbooks Cost Aid Scheme.
658.
The allocation of funds to schools under the scheme of aid towards the cost of school books for necessitous pupils is based in the case of primary schools on the number of necessitous pupils in standards I to VI as estimated in each case by the schools' authorities. In the case of post primary schools the allocation of funds to schools to be applied towards the cost of school books for necessitous pupils is based on the estimated number of necessitous pupils in each school.
For the purpose of the scheme school principals are advised to define a necessitous pupil as a child from a home where genuine hardship exists because of unemployment, prolonged illness of a parent, a large family with inadequate means, a single parent family circumstance, or other circumstances that would connote a similar degree of domestic financial hardship. Information regarding the possession of medical cards by the parents/guardians of pupils is not sought by my Department in relation to the allocation of funds to schools under this scheme.
659.
asked the Minister for Education the total amount of money allocated for the free schoolbook scheme for each year from 1980 to date.
The information in respect of aid towards the cost of schoolbooks for necessitous pupils is as follows: 1980, £1,541,000; 1981, £1,636,000; 1982, £1,815,000; 1983, £1,825,000; 1984, £2,032,500.