Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I think they will be getting worried to hear Deputy O'Sullivan is crossing into a different constituency.

As Minister, I believe it is crucially important that children and young people are actively supported to access education in its fullest forms. The Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many families. Earlier this year I announced the establishment of Ireland's first national primary schoolbook scheme. More than 558,000 pupils, enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including more than 130 special schools, will benefit from this new measure. This includes some 37,345 pupils enrolled in 248 primary and special schools in counties Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford. In March, the Department issued extensive guidance to schools on the operation of the scheme. This is a landmark moment in Irish education and one that furthers our goal to provide free education for all and ensure that every child can benefit from free education.

At a minimum, the scheme will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for all children and young people in recognised primary schools and special schools and will eliminate the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for parents of children and young people enrolled in the schools. Parents should not be asked to purchase, or to make a contribution to the school towards the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks or copybooks.

The €53 million investment into schools is specifically for the cost of textbooks, workbooks and copybooks. Additional funding has been made available to schools to administer the programme. Depending on the size of the school, a certain number of days have been allocated to the school to ensure that the burden is not placed, for example, on the principal. Schools are free to employ anyone, whether a member of staff, somebody from outside the school or somebody on the board of management. It makes no difference. Those days are made available for them.

The free schoolbooks measure builds on previous schemes like the book rental scheme, which was significant. More than 96% of primary schools engaged in that. Therefore, there is considerable experience in schools already. I acknowledge the work that is done every single day by schools on school book rental and now in this new sphere too.

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