Gaeilge

Search gov.ie

Press release

Minister McEntee confirms that from September nearly 1 million students will benefit from free school books

Minister for Education Helen McEntee has today (10 April 2025) confirmed that from September, nearly one million students will benefit from free school books.

Minister McEntee also detailed year three of the Primary Schoolbooks Scheme which provides free schoolbooks to pupils in primary schools and special schools.

Minister McEntee said:

"I am delighted to confirm that for the first time ever, from the start of the next school year, nearly one million students in primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme will be provided with free school books.

"This brings the total investment in free schoolbooks in 2025 to €170 million which will ensure that every child has the tools they need to access their education.

"In providing these books, it will ease some of the financial pressures facing families during the back-to-school period.

"Today, I am also confirming the details of the free Primary Schoolbooks Scheme. All schools will receive guidance, and the Administration support grant will remain in place for the coming school year.

"By providing students with their schoolbooks, we are not only easing the burden on parents, but enhancing children’s experiences both in school and at home.”

Free school books for primary pupils is an investment of nearly €47 million to ensure that parents and guardians will not be asked to buy or rent any schoolbooks, workbooks or copybooks.

The Department of Education will maintain an Administration Support Grant to assist with scheme implementation during 2025/26, to support schools to implement the scheme and relieve the administrative burden on schools. Revised guidance for schools for the 2025/26 school year will issue to schools shortly and any school with queries about the scheme can contact the department directly.

Under the scheme, €80 per pupil will be paid for the 2025/26 school year in line with recognised pupil enrolment on 30 September 2024. As the scheme is now implemented in every recognised primary and special school it is expected that schools have used the funding provided in the 2024/25 school year to purchase stocks of schoolbooks and other classroom resources. Many of these items are now available to schools for reuse in the 2025/26 school year and in future school years.

Minister of State For Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan said:

"I am delighted to see the free Primary Schoolbooks Scheme continuing for all primary and special school students. It provides vital support during these times of rising costs, especially for parents of children with special educational needs. This is a real help in dealing with the rising cost of living, and a huge support for parents of children with special educational needs, whether they're in mainstream, special classes, or special schools.

"I also appreciate the Minister's earlier decision to extend post-primary per capita funding to students in post-primary programmes in special schools.

"There is flexibility built into the scheme for the 2025/26 school year. This ensures schools can really tailor resources to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. Once the essential schoolbooks, workbooks, and copybooks are covered, they can use the funding for other helpful classroom materials.

"This flexibility is crucial for pupils with special educational needs in mainstream classes and for the over 22,600 children and young people attending special classes and schools."

This scheme means that:

  • schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks will be provided directly to all pupils by schools
  • there is no need parents or guardians to buy or rent these items
  • schools will be provided with sufficient funding to cover the costs of providing 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 administration support

To support the administration of this scheme the Administration support grant provided by the department to primary schools will remain in place for the 2025//26 school year, based on the size of the school, to assist with any additional work required in order to implement the scheme. Schools may use this grant to employ an individual to carry out administrative work on the scheme.

The department has published guidance for schools and information for parents on how the new scheme will operate.

Notes

Background

Primary Schoolbooks Scheme

As part of Budget 2023, the department announced over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from September 2023. The Primary Schoolbooks Scheme has benefitted more than 563,000 pupils in approximately 3,230 recognised primary schools, including over 130 special schools.

The scheme has been established on the basis that funds will be provided directly to schools to purchase schoolbooks, workbooks, copybooks and where possible some related classroom resources.

Schools are permitted discretion in how the free schoolbook grant funding is used on the basis that it eliminates the overall cost of schoolbooks, workbooks, copybooks and where possible, some related classroom resources for parents. Parents must not be asked to purchase schoolbooks, workbooks or copybooks or to make a contribution to the school towards the cost of these items.

The scheme will seek to ensure that value for money is achieved, and that schools will be supported to implement the scheme in a way that has the best learning outcomes for pupils. Schools will continue to have autonomy to choose books that meet curricular requirements.

The books will remain the property of the schools and schools will ensure that, as far as possible, all textbooks are returned at the end of the school year for re-use the following year.

Guidance document

A revised guidance document has been developed for primary schools on how the scheme will continue to operate. The department will continue to provide an Administration Support Grant to primary schools to assist with the roll-out and implementation of the scheme and to relieve the administrative burden on schools. The department has published guidance for schools and information for parents on how the new scheme will operate.

Funding

Funding will issue directly to schools before the end of April.

Procurement

The Schools Procurement Unit (SPU) is the central support resource for providing guidance to all recognised primary schools, including special schools, and post-primary schools (except ETB schools) on any procurement-related issue. The SPU delivers free advice and practical support to schools to help them achieve improvements in their procurement processes, practices and outcomes. ETB schools are supported in their procurement activity by their local ETB.

The Schools Procurement Unit has a dedicated Schoolbooks Scheme webpage.

Schools already have obligations to the national procurement guidelines and the law which governs public procurement in Ireland when sourcing goods and services.

The Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services, published by the Office of Government Procurement, promote best practice and consistency of application of the public procurement rules in relation to the purchase of goods and services.

Part of

Policies