Tipperary TD welcomes over €1.7m in funding to purchase schoolbooks for local students

Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill has confirmed that Minister Norma Foley has signed off on funding to the value of over €1.7m for Tipperary’s primary schools and special schools to eliminate the cost of schoolbooks.

The landmark new funding package secured in Budget 2023 will see free schoolbooks provided in all primary schools and special schools, in a permanent measure designed to ease some of the financial burden facing families with back-to-school costs.

Grant payments being made to schools this week will eliminate the cost to families for all schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks at primary school, including special schools.

The scheme will benefit more than 558,000 pupils nationally in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools.

Schools will receive €96 in respect of each pupil enrolled, with the scheme involving a total spend of €53,584,032.

“I am pleased to welcome this progressive initiative, spearheaded by the Fianna Fáil Education Minister, Norma Foley for free school books for primary schools and special schools right across Tipperary," said Deputy Cahill.