Almost 30,000 children in County Kildare to benefit from free schoolbooks from September

More than 29,600 children in County Kildare will benefit from free schoolbooks, workbooks and copy books from September.

This comes under an initiative introduced by the Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD.

Over €50 million has been made available to support this scheme, including an administrative grant for schools rolling out the scheme.

Nationwide, more than 558,000 pupils enrolled in over 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from the scheme.

The news was welcomed by Fianna Fáil TD James Lawless, who said: "This scheme will significantly ease the financial burden facing families during back to-school time.

James Lawless TD, Fianna Fáil. File photograph.

“This is a landmark moment for Irish education, and one which will provide significant benefit for families around the country.

“Back-to-school time can be a challenging time for parents and families, and I welcome Minister Foley’s commitment to easing the burden.

“We in Fianna Fáil believe in the power of education, and we believe in making education truly accessible for all.”

Deputy Lawless concluded: “This is yet another positive step forward, which I wholeheartedly welcome.”