Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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1064. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the free schoolbooks pilot project; when the pilot project will be reviewed and rolled out across the country in view of the rising cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30911/22]

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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1065. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current number of primary and post-primary schools that run a free book scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30912/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1064 and 1065 together.

My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, my Department provided funding of €17.2 million in 2021 to all of these schools. Schools participating in my Department’s DEIS Programme receive an enhanced rate of book grant.

School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and guardians. In order to support the establishment of book rental schemes my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to all primary schools. From the information available to my Department currently, approximately 96% of all primary schools and 69% of all post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme.

It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school but they are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those most in need. Therefore, my Department does not hold information in relation to the number of schools that run a free book scheme.

Additional funding of €1million was provided under Budget 2020 to provide free books in DEIS primary schools on a pilot basis. This funding was allocated to 102 DEIS primary schools for a new pilot programme for the 2020/21 school year. The aim of this pilot is to provide free school books for students in the schools involved, and to support these schools in eliminating the cost of school books for parents.

Under Circular 46/2013, DEIS primary schools receive a book grant of €21 per pupil. This pilot provided an additional €64 per pupil to increase the overall book grant rate to €85 per pupil enrolled in the school. This is in line with the costings as set out in the 2019 Barnardos report on the Real Cost of School which states that €85 is the average cost of school books at primary school.

Funding continued for the 2021/22 school year and the effectiveness and impact of the pilot will be evaluated before any decision is made as regards its possible extension or continuation. It is my intention to complete this process as soon as possible.