Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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On 5^th March I announced details of a new ground-breaking scheme which provides free schoolbooks to Junior Cycle students in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. Special schools who have Students enrolled in Junior Cycle programmes will also receive this funding. More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary schools and 70 special schools, will benefit from the new scheme.

The investment of €68 million in 2024 significantly increases the funding that is currently provided for schoolbooks and introduces a free schoolbooks scheme to Junior Cycle years in all post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. It reinforces the Government’s commitment to expand the free schoolbooks scheme to schools nationwide, as resources allow.

This scheme will ensure that parents and guardians of students enrolled in Junior Cycle years in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme will not be asked to buy or rent any schoolbooks for the 2024/25 school year. This is a permanent measure and will ease some of the financial burden facing families with back-to-school costs.

The term ‘schoolbooks’ includes all relevant textbooks, including ebooks, and workbooks identified by schools as necessary for completion of the curriculum for each subject.

The objective of the new scheme is about ensuring every child and young person enrolled in Junior Cycle years in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme have the resources required to access education and easing the financial burdens surrounding the back-to-school costs, which can be a cause of financial difficulty for many families each year.

The Department has published guidance for schools and information for parents on how the new scheme will operate. www.gov.ie/schoolbookschemes

The most recent validated enrolment figures which is held by my Department on junior cycle enrolments show that 213,225 students were enrolled in junior cycle years in the 2022/23 school year. This figure also includes children who are enrolled in Junior Cycle programmes in special schools.