Written answers
Tuesday, 17 February 2004
Department of Education and Science
School Textbooks
10:00 pm
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he has plans to compel publishing companies to produce books in CD-ROM format as an alternative to book format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4964/04]
Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at second level, mainly in the case of language subjects, school textbooks are not approved or prescribed by my Department at first or second level. Decisions on which books to use are taken at school level. The publication and sale of school books are in the hands of independent commercial enterprises and it is not open to me to compel publishing companies to produce texts in a particular format. However, my Department will convey the Deputy's suggestion to the Irish Educational Publishers' Association.
Following the report of a working group set up to examine the potential problems caused by the weight of heavy schoolbags in 1998, the report and information leaflets and posters were sent to all schools, highlighting the potential health hazard of heavy schoolbags and outlining a range of local measures that could be adopted to alleviate the problem. It is a matter for each individual school to choose those measures that would be most suited to its individual needs.
Positive action has been taken by many schools. Actions taken by a number of schools at second level consist of a range of measures, including the provision of lockers, the arrangement of the timetable into double class periods, active liaison with parents and the co-ordination of homework by subject teachers.
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