Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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442. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for easing the costs of school books on parents with secondary school pupils, by introducing a School Book Rental Scheme Fund for secondary schools, similar to the €15 million allocated for primary schools in Budget 2013. [17521/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am very conscious that the cost of textbooks is a considerable burden on families and as the Deputy is aware this Government has been very active in pursuing methods to alleviate this cost.

The previous Minister met with members of the Irish Educational Publishers' Association in 2011 and impressed on them the need to limit the cost of textbooks. He also stressed to them the real need to avoid placing schools and families in a position where textbooks are altered unnecessarily.

The Association responded positively to his approaches and agreed a voluntary Code of Practice among their members. The Code commits the publishers to limit the publication of new editions and to maintaining editions of books in print unchanged for at least six years.

The publishers have also given assurances that they will sell textbooks to schools at discounts so that schools can purchase textbooks in bulk to stock textbook rental schemes.

In funding terms, despite the very difficult economic situation, this Government has provided approximately €7 million to Primary Schools and €8 million to second level schools by way of book grants in 2015 and the same level of funding was provided in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

In addition a further €15 million investment was secured in school book rental schemes in our Primary Schools and this entails a €5 million per annum investment in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

I have no scope to introduce a new additional funding measure to assist secondary schools, as referred to by the Deputy, however ensuring that book rental schemes are available to all parents remains a priority.

The previous Minister launched in January 2013 Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools and also a Guide for Parents. The guidelines provide practical advice to primary and post-primary schools on how rental schemes can be established and operated.

The position at second level is that for September 2013, 68% of schools reported that they operate book rental schemes. A more detailed analysis of the returns show that 55% of voluntary schools, 66% of Community and Comprehensive schools and 88% of Education and Training Boards are operating book rental schemes.

I want to commend these schools, their efforts mean that the high costs of school books is being significantly reduced for parents.

My Department will continue to request information on book rental schemes from first and second level schools annually. The information in respect of the 2014/15 school year is not yet available.