It was announced in  Budget 2023 that every primary school and special school in the country would be included in a new €50 million scheme which would cover all school books, workbooks and copybooks. This would mean that going forward from September 2023, parents should no longer have to pay for any of these.

The Minister for Education, Norma Foley, this week provided the Cabinet with further details on how this would operate. All primary schools are to receive €96 per pupil under this new free schoolbooks scheme. This figure was decided on by looking at the data from 100 DEIS schools who had participated in a pilot scheme. The Minister also advised that she had engaged with school management bodies and trade unions, a parents' body, school book publishers, and charities such as the St Vincent de Paul and Barnardos.

In addition to the €96 per pupil, schools will also receive an administrative grant to support the roll out and implementation of the programme.


Press Release below from Department of Education

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has today (Wednesday 22 March 2023) announced details of a groundbreaking new scheme which provides free schoolbooks in primary schools and special schools.

More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from the new scheme.

This initiative will provide not only free schoolbooks, but also workbooks and copybooks easing the financial burdens facing families during back-to-school- time.

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

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

This 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. The Department is issuing guidance for schools and any school with queries about the scheme can contact the Department directly.

This new scheme means that: