Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
499. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if the free primary schoolbook scheme grant given to schools covers the costs of all schoolbooks; if parents can be asked to donate or pay any additional fee towards the costs of their child's schoolbooks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36977/23]
View answerAs Minister for Education, I believe it is crucially important that children and young people are actively supported to access education in its fullest forms. This Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families.
Earlier this year I announced the establishment of Ireland’s first national primary school book scheme. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from this new measure. In March, my Department published and issued extensive guidance to schools on the operation of the scheme.
At a minimum, the scheme will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for all children and young people in recognised primary schools and special schools and will eliminate the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for parents of children and young people enrolled in these schools. Parents must not be asked to purchase textbooks, workbooks or copybooks or to pay a fee towards the purchase of these items. Parents/guardians experiencing any issues in relation to this may contact the Department at freeprimaryschoolbooks@education.gov.ie.
Once the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks has been met and where funding permits, schools should use the grant to eliminate costs of related classroom resources such as pens, pencils and erasers. Related classroom resources may also include items provided by schools where a charge was previously levied on parents, for example, art materials and photocopying. However, it is recognised, that, in some schools, the total book grant provided may not be sufficient to cover the costs of all related classroom resources. Therefore, in some instances schools may request a fee from parents towards the cost of classroom resources or may ask parents to purchase them. Schools must communicate with families and inform them where related classroom resources cannot be provided, by the school, setting out what items are required or what items will be provided by any charge levied on parents under the schoolbook scheme.
Separately, while schools may request a voluntary contribution from parents it must be made expressly clear to parents that there is no requirement to pay this cost. The manner in which such voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management. Their collection, however, must not create a situation where parents or pupils could infer the contributions are compulsory in nature.
Section 64 of the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018, explicitly prohibits the charging of admission and enrolment fees for admission to, or for continued enrolment in a school.
In implementing the free primary schoolbook scheme, schools are expected to adopt a cost conscious approach but it is also important to note that primary schools and special schools will continue to have autonomy to choose books that meet their curricular requirements. The scheme seeks to ensure that value for money is achieved and that primary schools and special schools will be supported to implement it in a way that delivers the best learning outcomes for pupils.
The book grant funding issued directly to schools in April to ensure that schools have sufficient time to implement the scheme in advance of the 2023/24 school year. Schools have received €96 per pupil and this is paid based on validated enrolment figures.
A full evaluation of the first year of implementation of the scheme will be undertaken in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, to inform the guidance, implementation, costs and efficiency of the scheme for future years.
As Minister for Education, I am acutely aware of the various costs faced by families upon the return of their children to school each September and am confident that this new provision will significantly reduce the back to school financial burden for many families.
