asked the Minister for Education if free secondary school books will be made available to the children of medical card holders only; and, if so, if it will be necessary for the cards to be inspected by the school managers before the books are issued.
Ceisteanna—Questions (Resumed). - Free School Books.
108.
The fundamental condition for eligibility for free school books is that genuine need for such assistance should exist. The class of pupils who would qualify for assistance would correspond generally to those whose parents are entitled to the general medical services card. Headmasters of schools have, however, been given discretion in the selection of the pupils to whom assistance may be given and it is not a requirement that the general medical services card be produced.
Is the Minister aware that some headmasters have, in fact, asked the children if their parents held medical cards, and would the Minister agree this is a rather degrading way of dealing with children, because children can be very cruel to one another?
As I have said, this is not a specific requirement of the scheme, but I can understand that headmasters in some cases might have adopted this method of establishing those who are entitled and who are not. I shall bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Education to see if some more suitable method can be devised.
I should be grateful if the Minister would, because if the possession of the medical card is to be the test, then the production of the medical card would be necessary. This would mean that children would have to bring the medical card into the school to be inspected, and we know what would happen after that. It is a means test.
I appreciate the difficulty.
I could not support Deputy Tully enough on this. A medical card may very well be issued because of a certain health condition within the family and might have little or no relation to the other problem. Apart from how it will react against the child or the parents, this is a rule of thumb method that cannot be relied upon.
The regulations do not specify that it must be a medical card, but, on the other hand, in the normal way, possession of the medical card would entitle one to the facilities. It is a difficulty of administration and, as I have said, I shall bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Education to see if some more suitable method can be devised.