Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 3

Written Answers. - Free Books Scheme.

Mary Coughlan

Question:

168 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for Education the amount of money paid through the free book scheme to each secondary, community and comprehensive school in County Donegal; and the process by which the scheme will be administered. [2865/97]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

Assistance is provided under a scheme of grants towards the cost of school books for necessitious pupils. The allocation for 1996-97 to each secondary, community and comprehensive school in County Donegal under the scheme is detailed in the following table.

For the purpose of the scheme, a needy pupil is a pupil from a family where there is genuine hardship due to unemployment; prolonged illness of a parent; inadequate means to support a large family; being a single parent family and other circumstances which would indicate a similar degree of financial hardship. Each year, schools submit a return to my Department indicating the number of pupils they consider to be eligible for assistance under the scheme. This information is used by my Department to determine the amount of the grant allocation provided to each school.

The scheme is administered in schools by the principal teachers. Subject to their annual financial allocation and the terms of the scheme, principals have discretion in the selection of pupils to be assisted and the level of assistance in each case. The means by which such assistance is provided by schools to necessitious pupils — financial assistance, vouchers or provision of books on loan or otherwise — is a matter for the individual school authorities.

In addition, a special seed capital grant for the establishment of book rental/loan schemes for necessitious pupils was provided to second level schools which are officially designated as disadvantaged and which have given a commitment to introduce a book rental/loan scheme.

1. Grant Scheme for School-books for Needy Pupils Allocations for 1996-97 school-year

School	Allocation
	£
Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana	10,904.75
Meán-Scoil De La Salle, Ballyshannon	1,704.75
Sacred Heart Secondary School, Ballyshannon	6,704.25
St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny	3,097.50
Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny	13,400.75
St. Columba's College, Stranorlar	15,201.50
St. Columba's Comprehensive School, Glenties	9,301.50
Royal and Prior Comprehensive School, Raphoe	6,202.00
The Rosses Community School, Dungloe	5,997.75
Scoil Phobail, Farcarragh	10,496.75
Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair	4,701.75
Community School, Carndonagh	21,900.00
Loreto Community School, Milford	9,193.50

2. Seed Capital for Book Rental/Loan Schemes for Needy Pupils Allocations for 1996-97 school year

School	Allocation
	£
St. Columba's Comprehensive School, Glenties	6,900.00
Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair	3,500.00
Loreto Community School, Milford	7,900.00