Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will investigate the excess profit margins made by publishers here on school books in view of the fact that many publishers are cutting costs by printing school text books in China and other low cost countries and in view of the fact that his Department is paying for these books through funding assistance provided to schools. [7880/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the cost of school books (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7920/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 102 together.

The cost of school text books is determined on a commercial basis by the educational publishers who commission them. My Department has no role in the production and publication of school text books. Accordingly, I am not in a position to speculate on the profit margins to which the Deputies refer. I am pleased to inform the Deputies that my Department intends to issue funding to primary schools in April and post-primary schools in June to enable them to provide assistance for school books. Details of the funding were notified to schools by circulars 0023/2011 (primary level) and 0024/2011 (post-primary level), which are available on my Department's website.

In these circulars, schools are urged to use this funding to establish book rental schemes, as these are the most effective means of lowering costs for all students. Funding will be allocated on the following basis: - €11 per pupil in primary schools; - €21 per pupil in primary schools within the Delivering Equality in Schools (DEIS) scheme; - €24 per pupil in post-primary; or - €39 per pupil in post-primary schools within the DEIS scheme. This funding arrangement affords schools the autonomy to utilise funding in the most effective way based on their particular knowledge of their student needs. The previous system required schools to apply each year to my Department for a book grant, which resulted in a significant administrative burden, both for schools and my Department.