Free books will be provided to all primary schools and special schools in Dublin, a local TD has confirmed. Deputy Emer Higgins said the initiative will provide not only free schoolbooks, but also workbooks and copybooks easing the financial burdens facing families during back-to-school- time. Deputy Higgins said: “This scheme will ensure that parents and guardians will not be asked to buy or rent any primary school books, workbooks or copy books as of Autumn 2023.
“In 2020, Fine Gael in Government announced a new pilot programme which provided free schoolbooks to more than 100 primary schools which were part of the DEIS programme, in both rural and urban areas. I’m delighted to have seen this pilot project expanded to better support families and pupils in our community. “This ground-breaking, permanent measure will ease some of the financial burden facing families with the back-to-school costs,” added Deputy Higgins. “Around 558,000 children and young people, their families and their schools around the country will benefit from the initiative, including those in areas like Lucan, Clondalkin and Palmerstown and the villages of Saggart, Rathcoole, Newcastle and Brittas. “The objective of the new scheme is about ensuring every child has the resources required to access education and also easing financial burdens surrounding the back-to-school costs which can be a cause of huge financial difficulty for many families each year,” Deputy Higgins concluded.
Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Josepha Madigan, said: “The provision of free books to primary schools, particularly special schools, will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the academic, social, and emotional development of children. “It can help to promote a love of learning, improve literacy skills, and support the unique needs of children with special educational needs.”
