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THE FREE SCHOOLBOOKS Scheme will be expanded to include Leaving Certificate students from next year, the government has announced.
First introduced for primary schools in 2023 and to be expanded to Junior Cycle students this September, the free schoolbooks scheme aims to reduce financial pressure on parents.
But the scheme has been described as “death by a thousand cuts” for booksellers, who have fears for the future of the industry.
Just this week another bookseller closed their doors, bringing the total number of closures nationwide since the scheme began to 11.
Dawn Behan of Booksellers Ireland says the expansion to Senior Cycle was “expected, but disappointing”.
The representative group has consistently called for a voucher system to be implemented so parents can buy schoolbooks in-store at no cost to themselves, while continuing to spread out the business shops get.
“It spreads out the cost throughout the summer and it eases the issues that arise with delivering books to schools all at once,” Behan explained.
A lack of footfall in-store and small shops competing with large businesses for contracts means more closures are expected as a result today’s Budget measure.
While booksellers largely support the scheme’s purpose, they’ve consistently warned the Department of Education that, in its current form, it could have devastating effects.
Due to the procurement process, many smaller bookshops have been adversely affected. Schools are required to get quotes from three different retailers, and must choose the cheapest.
As a result, some shops have had to give major discounts on products and say they have had to introduce further cuts to what were already small margins.
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“Dad what’s that flower called ?
“Well son that’s a rhododendron”
How do you spell that ?
On second thought, i think that’s a rose
@larry smith: there’s a richie Kavanagh song to be written about that plant,if he’s still alive
Great series. People have gone mad for Cherry Laurel too and it’s choking out woods. They create dead zones. Birds don’t land on them or use them for cover and there’s nothing to forage on underneath.
Ever one off house in my area has it planted at their boundary in the last 10 years. Should be illegal.
@Ronan Mc: People should plant native hedges, cherry laurels contain cyanide so the birds are probably wise
@Ronan Mc: fwiw All our forest plantations are dead inside. With or without cherry Laurel. Forests are so densely planted not a bird inside. Anyway, cherry Laurel not banned by NPWS but probably should, yes.
Isnt Michael Healy Rae being made the super junior minister of rhododendrons?
I saw a garden centre advertise Rhododendron for sale on their social media. I called them out and it was removed, but I am sure it happens elsewhere.
@Ann Kennan: Apparently there are 200 types of Rhododendrons, and the only pest is Rhododendron Ponticum!
@Ann Kennan: good woman yourself Karen. You should be in government
Does anyone on here ever regret opening up this site/ app as it’s getting so depressing?? But yet we somehow always seem to back for more.
@Donna Fallon: Personally, I’m just here for Larry’s dad jokes.
@Donna Fallon: Only you,my dear. Only you. But it’s nice to chat and mingle in a cesspit of filth every now and again. Nothing brings us back down to earth again as quickly as a malfunctioning Temu parachute.
@Chop Chop: For that comment,I sentence you to ten Hail Mary’s and two Our Father’s. It used to be one Our Father. Times have changed.
@Larry Betts: Only youuu can make the darkness bright…
@Chop Chop: We all need a bit of that… lol!!
@Donna Fallon: Awww thanks Madonna.
@Dave f Doe: Pri ck.
@Donna Fallon: but you seem to be commenting on every article possible so I don’t think you’re sick of it to be honest possibly addicted to commenting
Bindweed is a divil in my garden. The flowers are pretty nice though and at least it dies back in winter.
@Chop Chop: I saw bindweed in Italy a few years back, the flowers weren’t white but a kind of electric blue, beautiful!
@Chop Chop: If you have bindweed in your garden,Chop Chop,do you know what you should do? You should chop and chop,Chop Chop,and don’t stop chopping til the chopper chops the lot.
@Larry Betts: On a roll Larry!
@Larry Betts: You’ve got the makings of a Dr. Seuss book there!
@Brian Hunt: Maybe I’ll get some seeds… it would like nice and also give the journal something to write about next year :-)
@Brian Hunt: The Greens tried to outlaw bindweed imported from Italy a few years ago. They said the electric blue flowers were bad for the environment. They preferred solar powered bindweed that gave off a yellow hue,or wind powered white bindweed.
@Chop Chop: Don’t plant them until after The Journal poll. “Have you ever planted an invasive species? Leave your answers in the comments below”
Maybe instead of poisoning the Japanese Knotweed, we could do like the Japanese and eat it – ideally as young sprouts (before it flowers). It tastes a slight bit rhubarby but when cooked is more like asparagus. It’s rich in plant bioactives like resveratrol, flavonoids and some of the beneficial antioxidant chemicals from green tea. It could and should be kept in check in this way rather than our current approach. The poisons don’t work. Eating does. Obviously not an option right now as they’re laden with weedkiller.
@Peter Conry: Shit. I just ate some before I’d finished reading your comment.
@Peter Conry: it’s held in check in Japan by native fungi and insects.
@JoeJoe Kilbride: yep, they’re important, along with other plants that compete for the same space.
Invasive species are indeed a problem……
Tipperary. Sure it can’t be that bad if someone’s going to make a few quid then. God help us.
We’re having a festival, Its called “Watch Your House Burn to the ground”, sure it’s very destructive and the tickets cost a lot but the flames are so pretty
The vee should be turned into a national park. (All mountain ranges IMO) Then let Parks & Wildlife & local volunteers start clearing this invasive species. In years to come the mountains could be purple with native heather.
Might as well ban everything that grows out there then , next it will be spuds etc
I’ve got three beauties in my back garden but they never recreate!
@Hotirish: Nuns,Dougal. They’re called nuns.
Laurel also a problem!
If it is such a problem why are garden centres allowed to sell it?
have your say