Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join in the words of welcome. It is always positive to see students in particular visiting here to learn about what we do here. I am delighted that I happen to be in the Chamber when they are here today.

I acknowledge Senator O'Loughlin's particular interest in this scheme, which she has been very keen for us to advance for a long time. All of us who work in the education sector know of the benefit of a scheme of this nature. I acknowledge the Senator's consistent support for the measure and her consistent determination that we would deliver it.

She will be aware that my Department's statement of strategy sets out the vision and mission of my Department for an educational system where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach his or her full potential. It sets as a goal to ensure equity of opportunity in education and to ensure 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 that goal. As part of budget 2023, I announced an allocation of more than €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from next September. This significant investment 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 families.This free school books 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 more than 100 DEIS primary schools, as resources permit.

The free primary school books scheme from next September will benefit more than 540,000 pupils in approximately 3,240 recognised primary schools, including pupils in more than 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 a long number of years. Schools buy the school books directly from bookshops and suppliers at present as part of the implementation of the existing school book rental scheme. They will continue to be free to do so under this new scheme. I know that has been a particular concern for the Senator and many others. Schools will continue to have the autonomy to purchase from their existing providers - the local bookstore, publisher or whoever they purchase from. That determination will be made by the school. Should a school wish to continue the present arrangement, that will be permitted.

The Department is considering the information and experience from the schools involved in the free school book pilot for the past three years as we develop the programme for roll-out. The 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. As the Senator specifically referred to local shops and publishers, there has been engagement on a number of occasions with the Irish Educational Publishers’ Association, Bookselling Ireland and other organisations that have an interest in the matter, including Barnardos, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and others. That engagement is continuing.

Detailed guidance for primary schools on the operation of the free school books measure is being developed. The guidance, 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. The schools will receive the funding and will do with it as they choose in respect of where and how they will purchase the books. It is recognised that the information to schools and so on will have to be available to schools after the Easter break.