Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
431. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the number of children, by county, who will benefit from the free schoolbooks scheme at second level under the junior cycle scheme for the 2023/2024 academic year. [47311/23]
View answer432. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the number of children, by county, who will benefit from the free schoolbooks scheme at primary level for the 2023/2024 academic year. [47312/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 432 together.
As 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.
As part of Budget 2023, I announced a major investment of over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks in recognised primary schools and special schools. This was a landmark moment in Irish education and one that furthers our goal to provide free education for all and ensure that every child can benefit from free education.
The Free Primary Schoolbook Scheme has resulted in over 561,000 pupils in over 3,230 recognised primary schools, including over 130 special schools benefitting from free schoolbooks and classroom resources from September 2023.
To further the delivery of our important government commitment I announced that funding is allocated under Budget 2024 to extend the free schoolbooks scheme to all students in junior cycle years in public post primary schools. The total funding available for this extension of the scheme is €67 million.
This will commence in September 2024, for the 2024/25 school year, where it is estimated that up to 213,000 students, in over 670 schools across all counties, will benefit from this new measure.
The grant for this scheme will be paid based on the previous year’s validated enrolment figures which, for the 2024/25 school year, will be the enrolment numbers for the current 2023/24 school year.
The most recent validated enrolment figures which is held by my Department on junior cycle enrolments show that 208,736 students were enrolled in junior cycle years in the 2022/23 school year.
An attachment is provided which contains the breakdown of students by county for,
• Primary students benefitting from Free School Books Scheme in the current 2023/24 school year
• Junior cycle post primary students, based on the 2022/23 validated enrolments, expected to benefit from the Free School Books Scheme for junior cycle years commencing in September 2024
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 further and significantly reduce the back to school financial burden for many families.
