Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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143. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the case of a person (details supplied); if the materials should have been covered under the free schoolbooks scheme. [64185/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Education and Youth, I want to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity of access to education that empowers them to thrive and realise their full potential.

Earlier this year, I announced details of the final phase of the free schoolbooks scheme with the scheme now available to every pupil and student in the Free Education Scheme. With a total funding package of over €170 million available in 2025, the scheme will benefit almost one million children and young people, helping to ease the financial burden that families face at back-to-school time. My department published guidance for post-primary schools around the operation of the post-primary schoolbooks scheme, in continued engagement with all stakeholders. Further information is available at www.gov.ie/schoolbookschemes.

The board of management/ETB of each individual school is responsible for ensuring the effective administration of the scheme within their own context. Under the post-primary schoolbooks scheme, parents and guardians should not be asked to purchase schoolbooks and core classroom resources or to make a financial contribution to the school towards the cost of these items. The term ‘schoolbooks’ includes all relevant textbooks/eBooks and workbooks identified by schools as necessary for completion of the curriculum for each subject. It also includes necessary additional texts such as novels and plays for English and books of past examination papers for all subjects.

Schools should determine whether it is more cost effective to print/photocopy examination papers, which are available to download from the State Examination Commission’s website, or to purchase these.