Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
512. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the full-year projected cost of free schoolbooks at primary level; the cost of expanding that to all secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37020/23]
View answerEarlier 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.
Detailed guidance for primary schools on the scheme was published and issued to all recognised primary schools and special schools in March 2023.
The investment in this scheme significantly increases the funding for school books provided to date to all recognised primary schools in the country. The implementation of the measure aims to build on the experience of the existing school book rental scheme which is available in the majority of recognised primary schools and on the free school books pilot provided to over 100 primary DEIS schools in recent years.
The primary school book grant funding for the 2023/24 academic year, totalling €53,712,096, was paid directly to all recognised primary and special schools in April and May, to allow schools implement the scheme in time for the start of the 2023/24 school year.
For the 2023/24 school year the Department also paid €1,873,300 in June to schools as an Administrative Support Grant. Primary and special schools can use this grant to pay an individual to assist with the implementation of the scheme.
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.
The extension of the free school book measure to students in recognised post-primary schools will be considered in the context of the available resources going forward. At this point I am unable to provide the Deputy with a figure for the cost of funding free schoolbooks at post primary level. My Department currently provides a book grant to all recognised post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books, including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, my Department provided funding of €10.2 million in 2022 to these schools.
