Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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123. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding options a DEIS band 1 senior primary school has to return to running an after-school club once current health restrictions are lifted (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50198/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a number of policies and programmes which are supportive of homework clubs for students at risk of educational disadvantage. 

All DEIS schools receive an additional DEIS grant which is to be used to support the implementation of the schools’ DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This Plan sets targets under key themes, such as attendance, retention, progression, literacy and numeracy, partnership, transition, wellbeing and examination attainment (post-primary only).  A key focus of these themes is that they are targeted at those students most at risk of educational disadvantage. It is a matter for the school Board of Management to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need which can include afterschool activities.

The School Completion Programme (SCP) is a key support under my Department’s Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School (DEIS) programme. Tusla is responsible for the operational management and delivery of SCP. 

In relation to the school in question, I am informed by Tusla that the SCP Local Management Committee is currently planning the suite of service provision, to ensure that all of the available SCP resource is maximised to support students in relation to school attendance, participation and retention across all schools in this SCP cluster. These interventions and supports may include afterschool clubs, which are allowable under the SCP funding.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reinstate the primary school library fund; the analysis that her Department has carried out into allocating €10 per primary school child in order for schools to buy books for their libraries; if her attention has been drawn to a campaign (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50208/21]

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 Primary 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.

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. 

Funding has been provided under Budget 2022 to support schools in the purchase of reading books, audio books, etc.