asked the Minister for Education the number of local authorities which provide a library service for schools as a part of the general library service.
39.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Schools Library Service.
38.
asked the Minister for Education the number of national schools which (a) are provided with a library, and (b) have a schools library service available to them.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together.
The managers of national schools are urged to provide a library in each school under their management and grants are available from my Department towards the provision of library presses and bookcases. In the current year a commencement is being made with a scheme of grants towards the purchase of books of reference for national school libraries. Information is not readily available as to the number of schools in which libraries are provided at present nor am I in a position to state the number of schools which benefit from the lending service extended by certain local authorities to the national schools.