Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount to be allocated to schools for book loan schemes in 2006 and 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25770/06]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will introduce a greater incentive to schools to participate in the book rental scheme to help alleviate the burden on parents of the cost of school books; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25912/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 129 together.

My Department continues to urge the management authorities of both primary and second level schools to put in place book rental schemes, at both primary and post-primary level, to the greatest extent possible.

At primary level schools that opt for book rental schemes are allocated enhanced grants to encourage them to participate in such schemes. These grants are paid in advance in the June preceding the school year.

In respect of the 2006/2007 school year primary schools not operating book rental schemes have been paid €14.70 per eligible pupil in the infant classes and €22.00 for each eligible pupil in the 1st to 6th classes. This compares to primary schools operating book rental schemes which have been paid €28.40 in respect of each eligible pupil in the infant classes and €38.10 for each eligible pupil in the 1st to 6th classes. Primary schools designated as disadvantaged and operating book rental schemes have been paid €32.00 in respect of each eligible pupil in the infant classes and €44.30 for each eligible pupil in the 1st to 6th classes.

A total of €4,000,000 was allocated by my Department in respect of the School Books Grant Scheme in Primary Schools for the 2005/2006 school year. Of this amount €3,453,281 was paid to primary schools operating loan/rental schemes in the 2005/2006 school year.

A total of €5,350,000 was allocated in respect of the school books scheme in the 2006/2007 school year. Of this amount €4,775,253 was paid to primary schools operating loan/rental schemes in the 2006/2007 school year. The allocation for 2006/2007 included an amount of €0.5m which was made available under the School Books Grant Scheme to primary schools in the School Support Programme (SSP) under DEIS.

Schools participating in the SSP that indicated that they would operate a book/loan rental scheme in 2006/2007 received grant aid at a higher rate per eligible pupil than applied in the case of schools generally. The extra funding is aimed at supporting the establishment, development and ongoing operation of book loan/rental schemes.

At second level, in addition to the provision of grants towards the cost of providing school textbooks for needy pupils, my Department also provides seed capital funding to certain schools in order to assist in the establishment of book loan/rental schemes. These would be schools designated as disadvantaged or which participate in schemes aimed at combating educational disadvantage.

Expenditure on the School Books Grant Scheme in second level schools in 2005 was €7.018m. Of this amount some €0.3m was provided in seed capital for book loan/rental schemes.