Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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388. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending the free schoolbooks scheme to voluntary primary schools; if she will consider a mechanism to allow these schools to access the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53042/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As part of Budget 2023, I secured funding to provide free books to primary school students in recognised primary schools from September 2023. The measure will eliminate the cost to families for all school books at primary school, including workbooks.

Now that funding has been secured, my Department will engage with the education partners to roll out the measure in time for the September 2023 school year. The implementation of the measure will build on the existing school book rental scheme, the free school books pilot provided to over one hundred schools in recent years and the planning work already commenced.

The Free Book Scheme will be available to all recognised primary schools in the free education sector. There is no funding for any educational establishments outside of this category.

Schools will be encouraged to seek the best value for money when procuring school books and related classroom resources. Schools buy books directly from school book retailers at present as part of the implementation of the school book rental scheme. Ninety-six percent of primary schools participate in the book rental scheme.