Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will introduce greater incentives to schools to participate in the book rental scheme; the number of schools currently participating; the percentage that represents of the total number of schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5100/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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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.

According to my Department's records, 1,917 primary schools (approximately 58% of primary schools) operate loan/rental schemes. 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 (89.26%) 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.

Under the DEIS Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, additional funding was made available in 2006 to second level schools participating in the School Support Programme (SSP) and with the highest concentrations of disadvantage. The funding was aimed primarily at supporting the establishment, development and ongoing operation of book loan/rental schemes. One hundred second level schools were targeted under this measure in 2006 and, following an application process, 94 schools received funding to support book loan/rental schemes. The remaining 103 DEIS schools will be targeted for funding in 2007.

Expenditure on the School Books Grant Scheme in second level schools in 2006 was €7.518m. Of this amount, some €0.8m was provided for book loan/rental schemes. The 2007 allocation is €7.941m, an increase of 423,000 over 2006. 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.