Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual for all primary schools and this grant can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. The National Parents Council - Primary has surveyed its members on book rental schemes currently in operation. The survey has found that they are open to all parents in 95% of cases, that the cost per child is under €40 per year in the majority of schools and that 93% of parents believe book rental schemes help with the cost of educating a child. A sum of €5 million has been made available this year to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. It is my aim to ensure every primary school in the country will have a book rental scheme. If the economic situation improves and I obtain additional resources, the option of extending the grant to other school is one of the possibilities I will consider.

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