asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of financial grants available from her Department for audio-visual aids in primary schools and post primary schools; the amount of grant available in each case; the total number of grants paid to schools in each sector in the past three years.
Written Answers. - Audio-Visual Aids.
632.
The Department operates a scheme of grants for national schools towards the cost of audio-visual teaching equipment. The maximum amount of grant payable is 75 per cent of the cost of the item subject also to limits set in relation to the numbers of teachers on the school staff. These limits were revised in 1984 and are as follows:
|
School Staff |
Maximum Grant |
|
1-teacher |
£75 |
|
2-5 teachers |
£180 |
|
6-10 teachers |
£230 |
|
11-15 teachers |
£270 |
|
16+ teachers |
£300 |
The total number of grants paid to national schools in the past three years was: 1981, 1,263; 1982, 784; 1983, 148.
A broadly similar scheme applies to secondary schools, with grants of up to 75 per cent of cost and overall limits depending on the size of school. The total number of grants paid to secondary schools in each of the past three years was as follows: 1981, 201; 1982, 226; 1983, 300.
The 1983 figure includes 256 schools which were supplied with cassette recorders from the funds available under this scheme. There are no special schemes of grants for audio-visual aids for vocational or community/comprehensive schools. Equipment for such schools is provided from the general grants made available for the financing of these schools.