SCHOOLS in Donegal have been allocated €5.8 million under the Free School Books Scheme for 2026-2027.
A total of €4,276,861 is going to benefit 15,099 students at 29 post-primary schools, with €1,521,680 benefiting 19,021 pupils at 172 primary schools in Donegal.
The funding, announced by the Minister for Education, Hildegarde Naughton, was welcomed by Donegal Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue.
He said: “This scheme ensures that every child, irrespective of their background, has equal access to the educational resources they need. This investment is a clear demonstration of this Government’s commitment to supporting children and families.
“Access to education for all is crucial, and this scheme will provide significant relief to families in Donegal. This initiative is a landmark moment for Irish education, ensuring that all children can start the new school year with the same schoolbooks a core classroom resource.”
The Free School Books Scheme will cover all primary and post-primary students in the Free Education Scheme for the 2026/2027 school year, removing costs for books, workbooks, and copybooks.
The funding covers textbooks (including e-books), workbooks, copybooks, and core items like journals, dictionaries, calculators, and maths sets. All books remain the property of the school and are provided on loan. They must be returned at the end of the school year or cycle to be reused by future students.
The Free Schoolbooks Grant for 2026/2027 is based on September 2025 enrolments.
“The aim of this scheme is to eliminate back-to-school book costs on families at the end of the summer. Nationally, 541,805 pupils will benefit from the €43.3 million allocated to primary schools, while €113.9 million has been allocated to 405,919 post-primary students,” the Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy added.