Parents across Ireland will be given a boost of nearly €100 for each of their children under a new scheme.

It was confirmed by the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, that €50 million initiative will be aimed at 558,000 students in 3,230 schools and 130 special schools this autumn.

The aim of this boost is to cover the cost of all school books, workbooks, and copybooks, in order to ease the pressure parents face each year.

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It will thereby help with the financial burdens families face at back-to-school time amid the current cost of living crisis.

The funding will also provide schools with an Administration Support Grant to assist with the rollout and implementation of the scheme and to relieve the administrative burden on schools.

The Department of Education explained that the investment of over €50 million significantly increases the funding for school books currently provided to all recognised primary schools in the country.

It delivers on the commitment in the Programme for Government to extend the free school book pilot, currently in over 100 primary schools in the DEIS programme.

The scheme will ensure that parents and guardians will not be asked to buy or rent any school books, workbooks or copy books as of autumn 2023.

They outlined that the new scheme means:

  • schoolbooks, workbooks, and copybooks will be provided for all pupils from schools

  • there is no need for parents or guardians to buy or rent these items

  • schools will be provided with sufficient funding to cover the costs of delivering these items

  • schoolbooks are the property of the school and must be returned at the end of the school year

  • schools will be provided with additional administrative support

This aligns with the government’s other measures to support school-aged children.

They announced earlier this year that there would be a €100 one-off increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and the continued rollout of the Hot School Meals Programme.

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