The Irish government wants to extend free school supplies to help poor families struggling to cope with the rising cost of living.
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In Ireland, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the rising cost of school supplies.
Prices have been rising for several years and the government has recently taken measures to help those in the most precarious situations.
Today, primary school books are distributed to children free of charge.
Free books apply in primary school and up to the third year.
The Ministry of Education should soon extend it to the baccalaureate.
The government’s goal is to strengthen access to education for all.
Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for Education, Culture and Tourism: “One of the priorities of the Government is to make education as affordable as possible. “I think the free textbook initiative was very important at primary level and we are now taking that to secondary level.
I recognize that there are significant costs associated with education.”
In Ireland, not all school supplies are free.
The cost of uniforms varies from school to school and some schools do not require uniforms.
Other schools ask parents for voluntary financial contributions.
Contributions from parents can vary from 10 to 200 euros.
Some families denounce financial pressure that is difficult to bear.
Minister Thomas Byrne clarified that this is an optional financial contribution.
Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for Education, Culture and Tourism: “This is absolutely a discretionary matter, and that’s what it says, it’s voluntary, these are voluntary payments. Parents don’t have to pay them. Schools are saying they’re not getting enough funding. We’ve increased funding for schools and we’re going to increase it further.
Free school books are good news for parents. But not for booksellers.
Bookstores no longer sell school books and some are in difficulty.
Dan Behan is the head of a booksellers’ union.
Dawn Behan, Chair of Book Selling Ireland: “Schools have been given a budget based on their numbers and they are the ones buying the books. So whereas previously parents would come with their children all the time to collect their books during the summer, the system is now supplier driven so the books are sent directly to the school.
Small local bookstores across the country no longer have a hold on the market.”
Ken Murray, Euronews: “The Irish government says its long-term goal is to make education as free as possible for Irish parents with limited financial resources. Of course, This could all come to an end if the Irish economy hits hard times.”
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