Potentially thousands of hard-pressed families are set to benefit from a new free school books pilot scheme due to be introduced from next September as part of the budget 2020 plans, the Irish Examiner understands.
The Irish Examiner has learned Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told Fine Gael TDs and senators of the plan during a behind closed doors parliamentary party meeting in Leinster House just after midday on Tuesday.
The newspaper understands that while the initiative is on a pilot scheme basis, it is expected to be nationwide and has the "potential" to help hundreds of schools - and therefore thousands of children and families.
While an exact budget has yet to be revealed, it is believed Education Minister Joe McHugh has been given millions of euro to pay for the initiative.
The free schools books plan has been long sought by a number of campaign groups, including Barnardo's and the Children's Rights Alliance, due to the hundreds of euro parents are currently forced to pay out for new books every year.
