Government must tackle issue of schoolbook prices, says TD

Thousands of school children may be enjoying their school holidays across the country, but the budgeting for the return to school has already begun, and one TD has said the Government must tackle the cost of school books for secondary school students.

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said “I know I speak for many parents of children in secondary school when I say we are sick and tired of forking out large sums of money every year for schoolbooks.”

“It is particularly galling that parents have to recycle perfectly good books at the end of each school term and that siblings are unable to transfer e-codes to each other.”

“Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of schoolbooks, are thrown out each year just because there are minor changes made to new editions,” she claimed, adding that the practice is both “costly and wasteful.”

The Wicklow TD said the rollout of free schoolbooks for those at primary level should be extended to those in secondary education.

“The Department of Education needs to bring in the publishing companies and discuss how costs can be reduced for hard-pressed parents,” adding “this has been going on for far too long.”

“Given that we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, such needless waste of money and resources should no longer be tolerated.”