Vol. 568 No. 5
248 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the basis on which his Department makes a grant towards books available to schools in the primary and in the secondary sectors; his Department's policy on the operation of a book rental scheme in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16404/03]
My Department operates a grant scheme towards the cost of providing school textbooks for pupils from low-income families in schools at first and second level. For the purposes of this scheme a needy pupil is a pupil from a family where there is genuine hardship because of unemployment, prolonged illness of a parent, large family size with inadequate means, single parenthood, or other family circumstances, such as substance abuse, which would indicate a similar degree of financial hardship.
Principal teachers administer the book grant schemes in schools in a flexible way under the terms of the schemes, based on their knowledge of particular circumstances in individual cases.
A consultancy report, which was submitted to my department in 1993, dealt with the factors which contribute to the cost of school text books. The main conclusion of the report was that book rental schemes are the most practical way of limiting cost of school books to parents.
The report, copies of which were sent to all schools, contains a number of useful suggestions, including a code of good practice for successful operation of book rental schemes. My Department endorses the recommendations and urges school authorities to put in place book rental schemes to the greatest extent possible.
