Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will allocate funding to schools to set up school book rental schemes to supplement the inadequate book grants currently available and to provide for a comprehensive school book rental scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34104/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 206: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has had discussions in relation to introducing a national school book rental scheme. [34149/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 206 together.

My Department continues to urge the management authorities of both primary and second level schools to put in place book rental schemes 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.

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 €5,350,000 — an increase of €1,350,000 on the allocation for the 2005/06 school year — 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. 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. The 2006 allocation is €7,518,000, an increase of €500,000 over 2005.

The additional €500,000 in 2006 is for second level schools participating in the SSP under DEIS, who have indicated that they will operate a book loan/rental scheme in 2006/07.