FREE schoolbooks will be provided for all students in Ireland as of September thanks to an extension to a Government scheme.
Education Minister Helen McEntee announced the details of the final phase of the Post-Primary Schoolbooks Scheme this week, which will see free schoolbooks and core classroom resources provided to all students in post-primary schools from the 2025/26 school year.
Some 400,000 students, enrolled in approximately 672 post-primary schools and over 80 special schools, will benefit from the extension of the scheme, which was first introduced for primary school children in Ireland in 2023.
The scheme was extended to junior cycle students in September 2024 and the final phase, extending to students in transition year, fifth year and sixth year, will take effect from September 2025.
“I want to ensure that all of our children and young people have the opportunity of access to education which empowers them to thrive and realise the full extent of their potential,” Ms McEntee said.
“Today is a landmark day in that regard; for the first time, almost one million students will get free schoolbooks from the start of the 2025 / 2026 school year.”
She added: “I want to acknowledge and commend the work of my predecessor Minister Norma Foley in commencing the free schoolbooks scheme.
“This funding package of over €123 million will ensure we provide schoolbooks to all post-primary students within the Free Education Scheme.
“It is a permanent measure that will help to ease the financial burdens facing families at back-to-school time.”
Speaking about the free schoolbooks scheme, Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan said: "I've spoken with many parents and guardians about the stress of back-to-school costs, and I know how much of a difference the free schoolbooks scheme can make.
“That's why I've been a strong advocate for expanding the free schoolbooks scheme to post-primary schools. It's one less thing for families to worry about during a very hectic time of year.
"Importantly, where a student in a special school is enrolled in Junior and Senior Cycle programmes, the school will receive the post-primary schoolbooks rate.
“This will help to further support their learning and development.”
Schoolbooks, as well as core classroom resources such as journals, copybooks, dictionaries and calculators, will be provided for all students in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme.
This means there is no need for parents or guardians to buy or rent these items as schools will be provided with funding to cover the costs of providing them.
The schoolbooks will be the property of the school and must be returned at the end of the school year or at the end of junior/senior Cycle, the Department for Education confirmed.
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