Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 December 2013
212. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the new book rental scheme as announced in budget 2014; if he will confirm that the new scheme will apply to all schools; if he will confirm that schools currently offering a limited book rental scheme will be eligible for the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53131/13]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware from Budget 2014 that additional funding has been provided which will involve an investment of €15m to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. The Department will provide €5m in seed capital per annum over a three year period to such schools. I want to achieve a position where every primary school has a book rental scheme in operation in the 2014/2015 school year. The Department will be contacting primary schools that do not currently operate a book rental scheme early in the New Year to advise them of the application process. To qualify for seed capital funding, schools will have to undertake to establish a book rental scheme from September 2014 and in return the Department will commit to the provision of such funding in 2014, 2015 and 2016. This scheme will be confined to primary schools that do not currently operate such a scheme. To extend it to all schools, as implied in the Deputy's question, would mean that the funding available to each school would be diluted to such an extent as to have little impact. I wholeheartedly commend schools that have established book rental schemes to date. However, I regret that they will not be eligible to apply for funding under this scheme. I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department will continue to provide a book grant to all primary schools. This grant, which provided €7m to primary schools in 2013, can be utilised for the purposes of a school's book rental scheme.
