Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2017
327. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the high cost of school books; the evaluation by his Department of an initiative by a company (details supplied) to supply books at a significantly lower cost than others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37180/17]
View answerIt is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of textbooks in the school. Individual schools should adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books in their classes.
In relation to textbook costs an agreement was reached with the Irish Educational Publisher’s Association which resulted in the agreement of a Code of Practice. The Code commits the publishers to limit the publication of new editions and to maintaining editions of books in print unchanged for at least six years. The publishers have also given assurances that they will sell textbooks to schools at discounts so that schools can purchase textbooks in bulk to stock book rental schemes.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents. Circa 95% of primary schools and 65% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme.
My Department supports the operation of book rental schemes through the funding provided under its school books grant scheme. Under this scheme, my Department provides funding of €16 million annually to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. In addition €15.7 million seed capital was provided over three years to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools.
One of the actions as part of the Action Plan for Education is to strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents by increasing the financial support for book rental schemes, in order to reduce/eliminate school book costs for parents as resources permit.
My Department has published a circular to school authorities and ETBs regarding measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the costs which include the provision of a book rental scheme. The circular can be accessed on my Department’s website at https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0032_2017.pdf.
