1220. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether consideration is being given to extending the free schoolbooks scheme to cover additional classroom materials, stationery and digital learning resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60862/26]

This Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families.

2025 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. In the 2025/26 school year, for the first time, all children and young people enrolled in primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme were provided with schoolbooks and core classroom resources. A detailed list of core classroom resources is available on my department's dedicated Schoolbooks Scheme Information Hub website page: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/schoolbooks-scheme-information-hub/.

The scope of the schoolbooks scheme focuses on schoolbooks, materials to write on, materials required for practical subjects and project support equipment, where the costs for these items were previously borne by parents.

When all schoolbooks and core classroom resources under this scheme are provided, schools should use any surplus funding to purchase additional classroom resources. Expenditure under additional classroom resources should be based on expenditure that, up to the commencement of the schoolbooks scheme, was borne by parents/guardians, either by providing the item or paying a fee to the school to provide the item. It does not include any items currently provided in post-primary schools through other funding streams

Schools may also use the funding for digital media support, which relates to teaching and learning within curricular requirements. Post-primary schools that use teacher generated content and resources in place of schoolbooks may also use surplus funding to facilitate a digital device loan scheme for students.

My department is currently conducting an evaluation of the schoolbooks scheme for the 2025/26 school year. The evaluation includes consultation with key stakeholders. It aims to assess the wider impacts of the schoolbooks scheme, to review the operation of the scheme, to identify possible improvements going forward and to consider measures to improve efficiency for future years.