Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I believe I am speaking for the majority of parents of secondary school children when I say we are sick and tired of forking out huge amounts of money each year for school books. We are tired of having to recycle perfectly good books and of buying electronic codes that cannot be transferred between siblings. It is hugely costly and wasteful. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of school books recycled or thrown out every year, simply because of small changes or because the electronic codes cannot be shared. This has been going on for an awfully long time. I would like to see free school books for secondary school students as well but until that happens, will the Taoiseach bring in the publishing companies and the Department and have a discussion about how the costs can be reduced for parents? This is an unacceptable waste of money and resources.

See this speech in context