Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 October 2008
265 Deputy Mary Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science the schools in the Dublin South-Central electoral area which will be affected by the decision to cut funding for library books; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37739/08]
Amharc ar fhreagraNotwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included the decision to discontinue the funding that the Department made available to local authorities to support school library services.
The amount of the grant payable to each local authority was based on the number of pupils in the relevant area and amounted to €4.52 per pupil. There will be no direct impact on the funding of individual schools as a result of the decision to discontinue this grant to local authorities. The indirect impacts of this measure in individual library areas will be a matter to be determined by each local authority in the context of its overall resources and the services it provides.
