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.