asked the Minister for Education when schoolbook grants are allocated to principals of the primary and post-primary schools and if these moneys are supposed to be allocated for the books at the beginning or end of the school-term.
Written Answers. - School Book Grants.
206.
Principal teachers of primary schools are invited to apply for the free book grant for necessitous pupils by a specified date each year, usually 30 April. The grants for claims received by that date are issued in June so that schools will have funds for the scheme when the new school year begins the following September.
In the case of secondary, community and comprehensive schools, approximately 75 per cent of the grant is given in May as a provisional allocation for the coming school year. The balance is paid before Christmas. The principals of the schools have complete discretion in how the assistance is distributed to individual pupils.
In the case of vocational schools, the grant is allocated by my Department to vocational education committees in early September each year. The grants are required to be disbursed by mid-October.