Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 April 2026
1376. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount that has been allocated to the free schoolbook scheme since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25259/26]
View answerThe Programme for Government acknowledges that education should be inclusive of all students, recognising that particular students may need particular supports. It commits to continue work to tackle all forms of disadvantage in education and promote inclusivity and to provide free schoolbooks to all children in the Free Education Scheme and introduce changes as needed to the operation of this scheme.
In relation to primary and special schools, up to and including the 2022/23 school year, my department provided an annual book grant to all recognised primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme to provide assistance for books, including book rental schemes.
Budget 2023 announced funding to provide free schoolbooks to all children and young people enrolled in recognised primary schools, including special schools from the start of the 2023/24 school year. For the 2023/24 school year the final amount allocated under my department’s Primary Schoolbooks Scheme was €55.92 million. For the 2024/25 school year the total amount allocated is €47 million. The total allocation in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 school years includes the administration support grant to support schools in implementing the scheme.
In relation to post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme, under the annual book grant, my department provided funding of €10.65 million for the 2023/24 school year to these schools.
In Budget 2024 the Government announced the extension of the free schoolbooks scheme to Junior Cycle students in recognised post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. €68.2 million was allocated for the Junior Cycle Schoolbooks Scheme for the 2024/25 school year, to provide free schoolbooks and core classroom resources to all students enrolled in Junior Cycle years. This figure includes the administration support grant. In addition, €4.96 million was allocated for the 2024/25 school year under the existing annual book grant to provide assistance for books for students enrolled in Senior Cycle years, including Transition Year, in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme.
In Budget 2025 the Government announced that the free schoolbooks scheme was to be extended to students in Senior Cycle, including Transition Year, in recognised post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme from the start of the 2025/26 school year. The total allocation in 2025 to implement the free schoolbooks schemes in all primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme was €170 million.
Budget 2026 has allocated €163.45 million to continue implementation of both schemes for the 2026/27 school year.
