409. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, where a school uses laptops/tablets instead of books, these laptops/tablets will be covered under the free schoolbook scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49716/26]

410. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth if schools opting to use laptops/tablets instead of books still receive funding for free schoolbooks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49717/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 and 410 together.

As Minister for Education, I want to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity of access to education that empowers them to thrive and realise their full potential.

Last year saw the introduction of the final phase of the free schoolbooks scheme, with the extension of the scheme to Senior Cycle students in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. This meant for the first time all children and young people enrolled in primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme received schoolbooks and core classroom resources.

All post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme receive funding under the Post-primary Schoolbooks Scheme.

My department has published guidance for post-primary schools around the operation of the scheme, in continued engagement with all stakeholders. The guidance provides schools with advice and support on how the scheme should be implemented at a local level. Post-primary schools have the autonomy to choose schoolbooks and classroom resources that meet curricular requirements, including whether the school uses physical schoolbooks, eBooks and/or teacher generated content. Schools are not obliged under the scheme to provide physical textbooks in addition to eBooks.

Schoolbooks are defined in the guidance and can include eBooks where they are used alongside or in place of physical books.

It is recognised that some post-primary schools have, over the past number of years, moved away from the use of schoolbooks, including eBooks. Teachers in these schools have generated their own bank of resources for students. Students access these resources in the main through digital devices. Such schools may still require a small number of schoolbooks each year, such as English plays and novels. When schools that use teacher-generated resources and content have eliminated the cost of all required schoolbooks and classroom resources, as detailed in the scheme guidance, they may use any surplus funding to cover other resources associated with teacher-generated resources, such as, purchasing or subscribing to educational apps. If surplus funding remains, schools may use the funding to facilitate the provision of a digital device loan scheme to students, as required.

Decisions regarding the use of digital technology in schools, such as ebooks and digital devices, is a matter for the board of management/ETB of each school. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community, including parents/guardians when planning for the introduction of digital technologies, with cost and other implications being fully considered.