Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My Department’s statement of strategy sets out the vision and mission of the Department for an educational system where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. Its goal is to ensure equity of opportunity in education and that all pupils are supported to fulfil their potential. Since June 2020, and over the past three budgets, I have secured funding to support measures aimed at achieving and sustaining that goal. As part of budget 2023, I announced a €50 million provision to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from next September. This is a significant investment and further reflects the Government’s commitment to a quality and inclusive school system with improved learning outcomes for every pupil.

The Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families. This free schoolbooks measure will eliminate the cost to these families for all school books at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the programme for Government commitment to extend the free school book pilot which is currently in place in a number of DEIS primary schools. The free primary school books scheme will benefit up to 540,000 pupils in approximately 3,240 recognised primary schools, including over 130 special schools.

The implementation of the measure will build on the existing school book rental scheme which is available in some 96% of recognised primary schools and has been in place for many years. Schools buy books directly from school book suppliers at present as part of the implementation of the existing school book rental scheme. My Department will also consider the information and experience from the schools involved in the free school book pilot for the past three years.

My Department has been engaging with relevant stakeholders including teacher unions, management bodies and representatives of school book publishers and booksellers in order to inform and plan for the roll out of the measure. Engagement has already commenced and I will meet with all stakeholders imminently.

Detailed guidance for primary schools on the operation of free schoolbooks measure is being developed and, together with the funding, will be provided to schools to support the purchase of the books and resources in time for the start of the 2023-24 school year. It is recognised that this work will have to commence in schools after the Easter break.

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