Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to roll-out ebooks in schools, given the weight of school bags and the cost of hard-copy books; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18264/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The decision to use tablet devices is a matter for the Board of Management of a school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made.

An advice sheet on the adoption of tablets in schools is available on the PDST-Technology in Education website which covers areas such as what tablets can offer a school, educational considerations, purchasing considerations and software.

As part of the new Digital Strategy for Schools my Department will provide advice on ICT equipment and digital learning tools that are best-suited to support learning and teaching in schools. €210m will be allocated over the period of the Strategy commencing in the next school year to fund equipment investment by schools.

Work on the implementation of the Strategy is now underway.

There is a School Books Grant Scheme in place that provides assistance for books for students in all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. Under this scheme, my Department provided approx. €16m in funding to all these schools in 2015.

I wish to advise the Deputy that Circulars issued to all primary and post-primary schools in 2005 to highlight the potential health hazard of overweight school bags and to outline a range of local measures that could be put in place to place to help manage the issue.