asked the Minister for Education whether post-primary students who are holders of medical cards will qualify for free books.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free School Books.
18.
The condition for assistance under the free books scheme for necessitous pupils is that the school principal be satisfied that there is genuine hardship in the pupil's home. Possession of a medical card is of course a factor which the principal may take into consideration when assessing individual cases.
Is it not the position that in the instructions issued to school principals the holding of a medical card is the major factor in determining a child's qualification for free books?
I think the position is that a necessitous pupil is defined for the purposes of the scheme as a child who comes from a home where there is genuine hardship either because of unemployment, prolonged illness of a parent, where there is a large family, where the mother is a widow or because of some other such factor. The scheme is essentially flexible and is in the hands of the school principal who has very good means of knowing the situation in individual cases. It is fair to say also, that there tends to be a divergence in different health board regions in the standards that relate to medical cards. Perhaps in general the present system is fairest but I assure the Deputy that I am prepared to look into this scheme as I am doing in respect of all schemes that come within my responsibility.
19. D'fhiafraigh
den Aire Oideachais an bhfuil ar intinn aige aon leathnú a dhéanamh ar scéim na leabhra saora.
Tá mé sásta go bhfuil scéim na leabhra saora ag freastal ar riachtanaisí na ndaltaí gátaracha agus níl sé ar intinn agam leathnú a dhéanamh uirthi.
An nglacfadh an Rúnaí Parlaiminte go bhfuil ardú mór tagtha ar luach na leabhra i mbliana, go mór mhór ag éirigh as VAT, agus dá bhri sin go bhfuil gá ann é a leathnú—sin nó ní bhfaighidh na páistí a bhí ag fáil na leabhar go dtí seo na leabhair a theastaíonn uathu.
Déanfaidh mé machnamh ar an scéal. Is féidir na rátaí a athbhreithniú nuair is gá.