Fine Gael calls for government action on school book "rip-off"

[White Horse]

As parents of school-going children will recognise, many publishers have increased the prices of school books despite the ecomony being is so called deflation.

Fine Gael says a survey it carried out has found that parents are being ripped off by a money racket in the school books market.
The party says four out of five publishers of secondary school books have increased their charges since last year.

FG demands action on cost of school books - Politics, National News - Independent.ie


Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD:

"Why when publishers’ costs have decreased throughout the year, through deflation in the rest of the economy, are prices being raised? Why when some publishers are freezing their prices are the others, especially the major publishing houses, hiking theirs?"


www.finegael.org - news

[SPN]

What a crock!

The teachers choose which text book to use. Fine Gael should be campaigning to help parents force the teachers to use a bit of cop-on when crafting the booklists. If the books aren't selling then the publishers will drop their prices.

This is the type of idiotic and pointless grandstanding that makes me worry about the calibre of the people we elect.

[Aindriu]

Text books and copy books should be provided to pupils free as in the UK. It is disgusting that parents have to pay for the things.

[ang]

He is also calling for Dept. of Education to implement a book rental scheme in all schools. This is a good idea. Will also stop books being revised so quickly as all schools would be working within a budget. Don't think it's grandstanding, think it makes sense

[SPN]

Text books and copy books should be provided to pupils free as in the UK. It is disgusting that parents have to pay for the things.

You think I should pay for text books and copy books for your kids?

You can fupp off!


That sort of situation would be perfect for the publishers as there would be no accountability.

If the parents can't make their childrens' teachers accountable for the text books they mandate, how in Gods' name would the taxpayer make some faceless bureacrat in Marlborough Street accountable?

[White Horse]

This is the type of idiotic and pointless grandstanding that makes me worry about the calibre of the people we elect.

Indeed, there must be a sub-saharan insect in danger of extinction to consider instead.

How trite that politicians are concerned with the education of children and the economic welfare of hard pressed families.

[SPN]

Indeed, there must be a sub-saharan insect in danger of extinction to consider instead.

How trite that politicians are concerned with the education of children and the economic welfare of hard pressed families.

He is concerned with getting a populist press release out.

If he wanted to do something to help them he'd be doing something to help them instead of wibbling about demanding that the Government do something.

Where is his naming and shaming of the Teachers who forced the kids to buy overly expensive books?

All he is doing is posturing. He isn't doing anything constructive.

[Rocky]

What a crock!

The teachers choose which text book to use. Fine Gael should be campaigning to help parents force the teachers to use a bit of cop-on when crafting the booklists. If the books aren't selling then the publishers will drop their prices.

This is the type of idiotic and pointless grandstanding that makes me worry about the calibre of the people we elect.

Christ you come out with some amount of ********************e.

It isn't the parents job to tell Teachers want to do, it's you know the Department of Education, you know the body that employs them.

Hayes's proposals anyway are

• The Department should introduce an immediate freeze on schools requiring new school books when existing texts are sufficient.
• Schools should be immediately informed by the Department of Education to introduce the school books rental scheme. These are particularly successful in schools and greatly reduce the cost for parents.
• Schools retaining copies of non-core textbooks in the classroom to avoid every student purchasing such books which may not be used on a daily basis for homework or study.
• Harnessing ICT by using material online.

And if these proposals were followed, then the books wouldn't sell and publishers would drop their prices.

[Rocky]

He is concerned with getting a populist press release out.

If he wanted to do something to help them he'd be doing something to help them instead of wibbling about demanding that the Government do something.

Where is his naming and shaming of the Teachers who forced the kids to buy overly expensive books?

All he is doing is posturing. He isn't doing anything constructive.

Yes that bastard expecting the government to do something. You'd think he would have learned how ********************e they were by now.

Yes instead he should be running around the country to every school to see which schools are asking the parents to buy new books or something like that, when we all know they all are.

Seriously is that the best you can do?

[CookieMonster]

Text books and copy books should be provided to pupils free as in the UK. It is disgusting that parents have to pay for the things.

You do realise that the money for the books in the UK comes from taxes anyway?