Free school books and hot school meals will ease burden on parents for next academic year – Burke

Parents of children set to attend primary school for the 2023/2024 academic year will have been receiving notifications from their schools to tell them that they will no longer have to pay for school books from September, a Fine Gael Senator said.

Senator Paddy Burke said that the provision of free school books for primary school children, along with the expansion of the Hot School Meals Programme, should ease the burden on parents for the coming academic year.

“School Meals have a hugely positive effect on children’s health and wellbeing. Research indicates that the provision of school meals results in improvements in attendance in school, with evidence that providing children with food in school makes a difference to families in terms of money saved, and for some families, in time saved on food preparation.

“The expansion of the Hot School Meals Programme means by the end of this year, 1000 schools nationwide will be receiving hot meals.

“From 2024, the roll-out of hot meals to all remaining primary schools will start on a phased basis, but Minister Humphreys is ambitious to have this implemented before the recommended timeframe of 2030.

“In the next week or two, parents in receipt of Child Benefit will also receive an additional €100 payment per child. The provision of these important measures; an additional €100 child benefit payment, free school books and the expansion of the Hot Meal Schools Programme, affirms Fine Gael’s commitment to prioritising the needs of children and assisting parents with the rising cost of living.”