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Minister Quinn with David Zubarevs, who is in 1st class at Presentation National School in Warrenmount

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn today announced plans to ensure that every primary school in the country has a book rental scheme in operation.

These plans are aimed at reducing school expenses for parents and form part of Minister Quinn’s wider agenda to tackle high costs associated with school.

As part of Budget 2014, Minister Quinn announced that he had secured €15 million to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools which do not currently operate them. This money is to be used as seed capital to allow primary schools to set up such book loan schemes.

Minister Quinn visited Presentation Secondary School in Warrenmount, Dublin, where there is already a book rental scheme in operation, to speak about the grants. Watch the video below:

The Department of Education and Skills asked all primary schools in October last if they operated a book rental scheme. More than 80 per cent indicated they have a book rental scheme in operation.

Speaking at Presentation Primary School in Warrenmount, Dublin, the Minister commended the schools, such as Warrenmount, which already have such schemes in place.

I am delighted to see that so many of our primary schools have taken the initiative to establish book rental schemes. They are already helping parents to drive down the cost of books.

The funds that I have secured will now be directed towards those schools who have not yet set up such schemes so that all parents, no matter where their children go to school, have an opportunity to reduce the costs of going to school.

Schools are now being invited by letter to apply for a grant to establish book rental schemes. The deadline for applications is the 31st of January.