asked the Minister for Education the amount of money, in each academic year from 1981-1982 to 1986-1987, which was allocated under the free schools books scheme in respect of pupils at (1) secondary schools, (2) community/comprehensive schools, and (3) vocational schools/community colleges; the way in which this scheme is administered within each of the above sectors; and if each sector used in full the allocation given to it for each year.
Written Answers. - Free School Books Scheme.
103.
The amounts allocated under the schemes of aid towards the cost of schoolbooks for necessitous pupils in the academic years from 1981/82 to 1986/87 are as follows:
|
Secondary |
Community/ Comprehensive |
Vocational |
Total |
|
|
1981/82 |
£701,000 |
£125,000 |
£310,000 |
£1,136,000 |
|
1982/83 |
£740,000 |
£135,000 |
£310,000 |
£1,185,000 |
|
1983/84 |
£732,000 |
£143,000 |
£310,000 |
£1,185,000 |
|
1984/85 |
£800,000 |
£173,500 |
£344,000 |
£1,317,500 |
|
1985/86 |
£897,900 |
£197,100 |
£390,000 |
£1,485,000 |
|
1986/87 |
£943,000 |
£207,000 |
£420,000 |
£1,570,000 |
In addition to the above, a special grant of £80,000 was paid to post-primary schools in the inner city area of Dublin in 1982.
The schemes are administered through the principal teachers of the schools, who, subject to the amount of money made available to them annually, have discretion in the selection of pupils to be assisted and in the amount of assistance given to each one.
For the purposes of the schemes, a necessitous pupil is defined as a child from a home where genuine hardship exists because of particular circumstances e.g., unemployment, prolonged illness of a parent, large family with inadequate means, a one-parent family or other circumstances which would connote a similar degree of domestic financial hardship.
The allocation of funds to schools under the schemes is based on the number of such pupils as estimated by the school authorities.
The allocation for each sector was used in full for each year.