asked the Minister for Education the provision which has been made in 1987 for the purchasing of books in primary and post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - School Books Purchase.
25.
State provision for the scheme for aid towards the cost of school books for necessitous pupils in primary schools, in 1987, is £846,000.
With regard to post-primary schools, the provision for the scheme of aid towards the cost of schoolbooks for necessitous pupils in 1987 is £1,605,000.
You will appreciate that there is necessarily a limit to the amount of money available to my Department for the purposes of the scheme each year, and that while the provision is not as great as I would wish it is the most that can be allowed in the present economic circumstances. Nevertheless it has been found possible to fund an increase of over 2% in the allocation for the scheme at both primary and post-primary levels in 1987 over the amount provided in 1986.