Fine Gael continuing to deliver for Parents and Working Families

Fine Gael is today highlighting a number of measures that parents and working families will see the benefit of as the new school term approaches.

The party has led a number of initiatives that have cut the cost of education, childcare and support working people to further their education.

Under Simon Harris’ leadership, the party pledges to put more money back in people’s pockets in Budget 2025.

Families will feel further relief in the coming weeks from a number of measures including:

• The expansion of the Hot School Meals programme, which will see over 345,000 primary school children now eligible
• The Free School Book scheme will be extended to junior cycle students from September, which will further cut the cost of education for parents
• Increasing the income threshold so more working people can qualify for grants to further their education.
• From September, parents will see further cuts to their childcare costs
• Extension of Child Benefit payment to 18-year-olds in full time education or with a disability.

And in recent weeks, Parent’s Leave and Parent’s Benefit has been extended from seven weeks to nine weeks.

Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said: “My party has been the driving force behind many initiatives to ensure working parents and families are supported.

“Fine Gael will always stand up for families who are trying their best juggling jobs and childcare.

“As parents begin their preparations for the return of another school term, it will offer comfort to them knowing hundreds of thousands of children in primary schools will get a hot school meal.

“We’re also expanding the free schoolbook scheme, which will not only see free schoolbooks, but also workbooks and copybooks, easing the financial burdens facing families during back-to-school time.

“From September, people will also see significant improvements to existing supports under the Student Grant Scheme, including ensuring more working people can qualify for grants to further their education.

“As leader of Fine Gael and Taoiseach, I will look at how we can further ease the burden on parents in Budget 2025 and will deliver for working parents and families.”

Deputy Fine Gael leader and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said: “Fine Gael is committed to supporting hard working families.

“We introduced the Hot Schools Meals Programme and have grown it from a small pilot project to a national programme which will see a hot meal available to every child in every single primary school in the country by the end of 2025.

“The comfort of knowing that your child is getting a nutritious hot meal at school every day is one less thing for busy working parents to worry about when heading out the door to work every morning.

“We’ve expanded Parent’s Benefit from two weeks to nine weeks over the lifetime of this Government so that parents can spend more time with their newborn babies in those vital early years. We’ve also extended Child Benefit to 18 Year Olds in full time education – a measure that has already benefitted almost 60,000 children across the country and put more money back into families’ pockets.”

Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, Hildegarde Naughton said:

“The availability of in-school therapy for children with special educational needs is the number one ask that I receive from parents and the wider school community when I visit schools right across the country. All evidence points to better learning outcomes for children and young people where therapy is provided in the school environment, as well as a reduction in their reliance on additional education supports within the classroom.

“In-School therapy supports for special schools will now commence in September and will run for the full school year. The pilot commencing in September will take place across 16 special schools in Cork and Dublin, making up more than 10% of special schools.

“Our ambition is that in-school therapy will be extended across all special schools and eventually to special classes in mainstream schools.”

“Delivering free schoolbooks, workbooks, and copybooks directly to children across our primary schools, special schools and junior cycle reflects Fine Gael’s commitment to making life easier for parents and families. We all know the cost of books in secondary school can be a significant burden on families. I look forward to building on this progress in the months and years ahead through the further delivery of free schoolbooks to students studying for their leaving certificate,” Minister Naughton concluded.