Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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374. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider re-establishing the school library fund that was cut in 2008 in Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47471/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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An arrangement was made through An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in 1971, whereby the local authority librarians would provide services for schools. At that time my Department made a grant available for this purpose based on the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools in the local authority areas.

The amount of the grant payable to each local authority was based on the number of primary pupils in the relevant area and amounted to €4.52 per pupil. The full year estimated cost of reinstating the library grant is circa €2.5m

As Minister for Education, I am very conscious of the importance of library services and the value of these in the context of the supports available to schools.