Seán Fleming
Question:543. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the free primary schoolbooks scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17344/23]
View answerTuesday, 18 April 2023
Questions (543)
Written answers
As part of Budget 2023, my Department announced over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from September 2023.
This free schoolbooks measure will eliminate the cost to families for all schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks at primary school, including special schools. It delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to extend the free school book pilot, provided to over 100 DEIS primary schools over the past three school years.
Guidance on the implementation of the scheme is published and was made available to primary schools, including special schools, on 22 March to ensure they have sufficient time to implement the new scheme in advance of the start of the 2023/24 school year. The Guidance has been informed by the engagements with stakeholders.
My Department engaged with all relevant stakeholders as to how the scheme will operate. These included: primary school management bodies, unions, the National Parents Council Primary, representatives of booksellers and schoolbook publishers, IBEC, Retail Ireland, the Small Firms Association, Barnardos and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. My Department also engaged with a number of schools, including some of the primary schools participating in the DEIS pilot free book scheme, to learn of their first-hand experience of operating a book rental scheme.
The grant under the new scheme, is a permanent measure and will issue to each recognised primary school in April. In the case of primary schools managed by ETBs, the funding will issue directly to the relevant ETB. For the 2023/24 school year €96 per pupil will be paid in line with recognised pupil enrolment on 30 September 2022.
My Department has considered the voucher scheme referenced. However, it was not considered a viable option to deliver on the objectives of the scheme.
Schools are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. Primary schools and special schools will continue to have autonomy to choose books that meet their curricular requirements. The scheme will seek to ensure that value for money is achieved and that primary schools and special schools will be supported to implement the scheme in a way that has the best learning outcomes for pupils. Schools are already familiar with purchasing books from local suppliers for their existing book rental schemes and adhering to public procurement requirements.
My Department will continue to consider the relevant public procurement supports that could help underpin this measure in future years. This will be informed by the evaluation of the first year of the scheme.
In recognition of the work required in schools associated with implementing this scheme, my Department has put in place an administrative support grant. The administration support grant will be paid separately to the schoolbook grant and will issue to all primary schools and special schools.
A full evaluation of the first year of implementation of the scheme will be undertaken by the Department of Education in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, in order to inform the guidance, implementation, costs and efficiency of the scheme for future years.