Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 3

Written Answers. - Euro Changeover.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

369 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 409 of 26 June 2001, his attention has been drawn to the fact that despite the measures outlined in his reply, textbooks currently on sale for the 2002 academic year have amounts in pounds rather than euro; the specific action he will take to deal with the extra costs for parents who do not qualify under the grant scheme for needy pupils and who may have to replace these books in 2002; his Department's position in respect of the use of these books in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20838/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

My Department has taken a range of initiatives to support schools in the lead up to the introduction of the euro. I have given details of those initiatives in reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 388, 409 and 463 of 26 June 2001.

Decisions on which books to use are taken at school level. School authorities have been advised regularly that textbooks should be changed only to the extent that is absolutely necessary.

I would not consider it necessary for a school to change a textbook in the short-term simply because amounts were shown in pounds rather than euro.