Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38125/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As you are aware, in February of this year I announced the details of the final phase of the Post-Primary Schoolbooks Scheme, which extends the Junior Cycle Schoolbooks Scheme to all students in Senior Cycle, including Transition Year, in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme.

This is the final step in the delivery of a key programme for government commitment to provide free schoolbooks and to support parents by reducing back to school costs. Approximately 940,000 children and young people and their parents will benefit from this scheme.

A key aim of the Post-primary Schoolbooks Scheme is that all schoolbooks provided to students will remain the property of the school and are provided on loan to students. Schools are advised, as far as possible, that they should make every effort to reduce wastage under the scheme.

My department has published guidance to support schools in the implementation of the scheme. The guidance contains information highlighting that schools should adopt a cost-conscious and environment-conscious approach to the selection and purchasing of items under the scheme. It can be accessed at www.gov.ie/schoolbookschemes.

In addition to the main guidance for schools, my department has produced a quick reference guide with clarification on key questions that schools may have on the implementation of the scheme. The published guidance and quick reference guide both outline the position on purchasing of second-hand books by schools.

The quick reference guide advises that “schools can purchase second-hand schoolbooks under this scheme. This is a matter for the school management in each school when budgeting each year in order to achieve best value for money.”

Therefore, it is open to schools to engage with parents of students who may have additional books that could be purchased by the school or donated by parents for use again by students, which will hopefully mitigate against any potential wastage of books. My department welcomes schools proactively engaging with parents and students in relation to the scheme. It is also open to you to contact the school to discuss the provision of second-hand books in support of the scheme.

As part of the on-going evaluation of the schemes, all schools will be asked to provide data on their expenditure in order to inform the guidance, implementation, costs and efficiency of the scheme for future years.