Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 5

Written Answers. - Student Support Schemes.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

129 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide information on the needy pupils scheme; the number of pupils who have availed of this scheme in 2000; the assistance given; the criteria for qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21465/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

My Department operates a grant scheme towards the cost of providing school textbooks for needy pupils in primary and post-primary schools. For the purposes of these grants, a needy pupil is a pupil from a family where there is genuine hardship because of unemployment, prolonged illness of a parent, large family size with inadequate means, single parenthood, or other family circumstances, such as substance abuse, which would indicate a similar degree of financial hardship.

Principal teachers administer the book grant schemes in schools in a flexible way under the terms of the schemes based on their knowledge of particular circumstances in individual cases.

A consultancy report, which was submitted to my Department in 1993, dealt with the factors which contribute to the cost of school textbooks. The main conclusion of the report was that book rental schemes are the most practical way of limiting the cost of school books to parents.

The report, copies of which were sent to all schools, contains a number of useful suggestions, including a code of good practice for successful operation of book rental schemes. My Department endorses the recommendations and urges school authorities to put in place book rental schemes to the greatest extent possible.

Each year, second level schools and vocational education committees furnish to my Department general details of the numbers of necessitous pupils assisted in the previous school year. Based on these returns the grant is paid by my Department to the individual schools/VECs. Consequently, the most recent year for which details of needy pupil numbers are available in my Department is 1999. Returns from schools/VECs indicate that approximately 146,000 needy second level pupils availed of the scheme during that year.

At second level, in 1999 a total of £4,463,000 was allocated in aid towards the cost of school books for needy pupils. The provision for 2000 is £4,552,000.

At primary level, in 1999 a total of £2,555,000 was provided towards the cost of school books for needy pupils. The provision for 2000 is £2,637,000 and it is estimated that approximately 150,000 needy pupils in 2,900 primary schools will benefit.