Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide more support to schools to operate book rental schemes in view of the increasing cost of school books to parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27651/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has urged school authorities to put in place book rental schemes, at both primary and post-primary level, to the greatest extent possible. To that end the school book for needy pupils grant scheme may be used by school authorities for the support of book loan-rental schemes. The 2005 allocation for the school book grant for needy pupils scheme at post-primary level is €7.018 million which represents a 10.36% increase on the 2004 allocation of €6.359 million.

At primary level many schools operate book rental schemes and second-hand book exchanges. A total of €3,859,352 has been paid by my Department in respect of the school books grant scheme in primary schools for the 2005-06 school year. This figure includes €3,337,928 paid to schools operating loan-rental schemes.

At post-primary level, my Department also provides seed capital towards the costs of establishing book rental schemes in schools designated as disadvantaged and-or schools which participate in schemes designed to combat educational disadvantage. The intention is to provide some specific financial support for the introduction or expansion of book loan-rental schemes in individual schools on an annual basis, for a maximum of six years or five years in the case of five-year cycle schools. It is envisaged that schools which receive seed capital will be in a position to establish sustainable book loan-rental schemes which, after the initial special assistance, will operate on a self-financing basis where ongoing costs will be met by fee income, which can be subsidised in the case of needy pupils from the general book grant scheme allocation. Funding in respect of seed capital amounted to €221,240 in 2004.

DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, which I launched last May, aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed.

The plan provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme, SSP, which will bring together and build upon, a number of existing interventions for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. In the new action plan, additional funding will be made available under the school books for needy pupils grant scheme aimed primarily at supporting the establishment, development and ongoing operation of book loan-rental schemes.