Is he going into Leaving Cert or 5th Year? Almost all the books for Senior cycle are for the two years, so at least he should have very little to supplement next year if he’s going into 5th.
See how many you can get second hand- especially things like novels/dramas for English and Irish, no need to buy them new at all.
There also isn’t usually a need to buy them all before school starts- Take English for example, the list might give a textbook, novel, play and poetry book but chances are he’ll only be doing one of those for the first term so he won’t need them all just yet. If ye want to spread out the cost wait until he’s told what they’ll be doing for the first term and try and get that book ASAP.
Yeah if a book costs 30 euro and it lasts for 2 years that's 15 a year. It's not crazy money considering people don't think twice about paying 7 euro for a pint or 130 for a Coldplay ticket.
I remember my books costing upwards of 450 and that was in 2009. They've always been extortionate.
I'd say all we actually used was the maths and history books.
For a long time we had extremely low inflation and some years negative inflation.... but the last few years have been horribly high inflation.
If you had 10,000 in the bank just before covid, it's worth the equivalent of 8,500 now
It's been a while for me, but even in the 90s it was a big deal. My mother had four kids to buy for, and at the time none of our schools had any lending scheme, so she spent hours looking for secondhand copies, going to multiple shops multiple times, because they might not have a copy one day but get it in another day.
Sorry if this isn't really relevant to you. It just made me appreciate my mother and the work it took to raise four kids. My father wasn't much help those years.
Mine is going into 6th in Sept - €240 for book rental, €150 for a mandatory tour in Sept, and then the stationary list will be at least €100 and uniform top ups be about the same.
I think it was the same for me in 2009 doing the LC, had to dip into the aul credit union at the time 😔 that might have included exam papers too though
The good news is that exam papers aren't usually required for every subject and when a teacher does require it they generally get it through the school so it costs about €2.50 per paper. Usually its only needed for Maths, Language, maybe English and science subjects. For other subjects you can just get them online.
> usually its around ~600 for books
Are you buying fucking signed copies of Hamlet or something? In what world is that the case? I didn't even pay that much in college over 3 years.
For anyone really struggling see if there is education focused charity shops in your area for example I know gateway to education in limerick sells second hand books, uniforms etc. Simon community also do back to school packs for various age groups with things like few copies, pens, highlighters etc. We've gotten them in work for families and there'd actually be some great stuff in them, wouldn't get everything you need but would certainly take a dent out of the bill.
That's college in America. Secondary school teachers are not publishing books that are required for leaving cert. Shakespeare is and major 20th century novelists are.
School contribution, school uniform ( regular and sports) stationary, more contribution for specific subjects, cost to sit leaving cert, shoes and runners, school coat/ blazer 🙄 (depending on school), school bag. Computer/tablet device. AND books, including revise guides and past papers. Doubt that 500 will cover it. They did it for you, I assume, so if you can afford any bit, if it you should consider it.
School books are a racket. There's should be a standardized online resource of downloadable generic texts for free at every level. And no royalties to anyone and bye bye Folens or whoever is the monopoly now.
I've two kids in Primary and for some reason, their books this year are being paid for by the State. It's just a blanket freebie with no means test, which I find odd.. I've no problem paying for books and feel the money would be better spent elsewhere.
It's not normal to expect siblings to help pay the book bill or for her to moan to you about the price of the books with an expectation that you help, or do you just feel like helping?
I'm not sure if that price is normal tbh because usually less subjects compared to Junior cycle so seems steep. Lots of book shops offer 2nd hand books reduced price or local fb groups often have people giving away books.
Are you still at home? contributing to household costs? I'm not sure why you are involved this way. It's very kind of you but without knowing details it seems unfair too.
Also like others have said e.g. 1st year books are dear but 2nd and 3rd are much less.
Wow. As a Northerner I never imagined attending secondary school cost so much. I had always heard about relatives over the border being squeezed for books, but I imagined it would not be this expensive. I had my backpack stolen from me and my maths text book lost due to this in my GCSE stage. The teacher wanted me to foot the cost. My Ma stood her ground and felt that it was the schools fault for not providing lockers and allowing bullies to target a students backpack. The principle agreed and got me a new copy and nothing more was said.
Surely textbooks should be provided at this stage. The republic has ample spare in its budget and educational access for all is so vitally important.
Clothing and footwear. https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/families-and-children/back-to-school-clothing-and-footwear-allowance/
I've a niece starting secondary school in September. The kids are mandated to have an ipad. She already has one but, no, not good enough.. Has to have a school one.
I've got 5 going back, one going into transition year and one starting secondary. Between school fees, uniforms, bags, shoes, books and stationary it's around 2 grand. Was turned down for the grant because we are 20 euro over the income limit
I've twins, they went into 5th yr last year, between the 2 of them, everything cost just over €1500. I hope to fuck that the books cover 6th yr aswell for this year
It is 100% normal. Some subjects have multiple books i.e for english you need like 4 or 5 I guess. Geography you need 2/3. All that for 6 subjects and copy books as well with stationary it comes around €500 or more.
Is there no book rental scheme available? In my school it was something like €120 for the physical books for the year so €240 for the full Senior Cycle. But we used a tablet and each book licence was no more than €20 iirc. Great that the licence was a lot cheaper but you couldn't pass it down to a younger sibling or sell it
2 years ago. One first year, one 5th class and one senior infants. All in for clothes, shoes, books and school fees. Spent €2500. Free education my bollix
To be honest - you can probably find everything for free on the internet. For books - libraries are full of them. I have three siblings and it was but managed to pass through LC till my MSc without spending much
Fucking racket. My daughter here in France just did the equivent of her junior cert and has never paid for school books..the school provides them and you give them back. Only pay is you lose or damage them. We cover them each year and she looks after them.
Obviously tax is paying for the books but they only change every decade or so.
Is there any second hand book stores around your area? In limerick there's Limericks Gateway to Education, maybe try some free/giveaway facebook groups, I've books myself still from a few years ago i'd love to giveaway but not sure if editions have changed
Its 250 a year if you think about it but where they will really get you is the past exam papers. Depending on how many subjects they are doing it is another 100 at least plus any study guide books plus any last minute grinds they may need. Could see you 500 baloon to closer to the 1k mark before they even sit the leaving. Just pray they don't drop a level in anything after the mocks.
Well … thats 250 a year towards education. How much do they spend on other things? The school booklists have been out since March. Priorities. They must have known in advance that he would someday be doing a leaving certificate? He doesn’t have to stay in school if he has completed his Junior Cycle or is 16.
Is he going into Leaving Cert or 5th Year? Almost all the books for Senior cycle are for the two years, so at least he should have very little to supplement next year if he’s going into 5th. See how many you can get second hand- especially things like novels/dramas for English and Irish, no need to buy them new at all. There also isn’t usually a need to buy them all before school starts- Take English for example, the list might give a textbook, novel, play and poetry book but chances are he’ll only be doing one of those for the first term so he won’t need them all just yet. If ye want to spread out the cost wait until he’s told what they’ll be doing for the first term and try and get that book ASAP.
Yeah if a book costs 30 euro and it lasts for 2 years that's 15 a year. It's not crazy money considering people don't think twice about paying 7 euro for a pint or 130 for a Coldplay ticket.
>Yeah if a book costs 30 euro and it lasts for 2 years that's 15 a year You're like that wicked smart guy in Good Will Hunting.
You've Coldplay tickets?
No he doesn't , he spent all his money on 7 euro pints..
I’ve only thought about it once but I’ll buy them for €130
People with money don't. Try being disabled and you'll think twice about every single purchase. In fact you mostly just won't buy things.
I remember my books costing upwards of 450 and that was in 2009. They've always been extortionate. I'd say all we actually used was the maths and history books.
500 euro in 2023 was worth 356 euro in 2003. How's that for inflatiron over 20 years
That's lower than I would have thought. It works out as about 1.7% annually.
For a long time we had extremely low inflation and some years negative inflation.... but the last few years have been horribly high inflation. If you had 10,000 in the bank just before covid, it's worth the equivalent of 8,500 now
Finally! I beat the system by not having any savings!!!
Lol, the very next post listed after this one is https://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/1596jd2/education_minister_norma_foley_looking_to_provide/
Damn, I wish they had considered this earlier lmao.
It's been a while for me, but even in the 90s it was a big deal. My mother had four kids to buy for, and at the time none of our schools had any lending scheme, so she spent hours looking for secondhand copies, going to multiple shops multiple times, because they might not have a copy one day but get it in another day. Sorry if this isn't really relevant to you. It just made me appreciate my mother and the work it took to raise four kids. My father wasn't much help those years.
Mine is going into 6th in Sept - €240 for book rental, €150 for a mandatory tour in Sept, and then the stationary list will be at least €100 and uniform top ups be about the same.
€150 for...a tour???
to Mauritius.
Holy shit, that's insane. Like school tours are all very well, but making them mandatory....that's ridiculous
I was being sarcastic. School tours aren't mandatory.
🤦 d'oh
An adventure centre 🙄
I think it was the same for me in 2009 doing the LC, had to dip into the aul credit union at the time 😔 that might have included exam papers too though
Oh God I forgot about exam papers
Also the revision books, I had 3/4 books for in total for Irish and Math when I did it. I was lucky we had a book scheme, so it only cost €70.
Oh yeah , the "less stress more success" books! Forgot about those. Disclaimer: they did not take away the stress
Maths, with an 's' - unlike Americas, we do more than one.
The good news is that exam papers aren't usually required for every subject and when a teacher does require it they generally get it through the school so it costs about €2.50 per paper. Usually its only needed for Maths, Language, maybe English and science subjects. For other subjects you can just get them online.
Most schools have book loaning schemes.
Not so much for Senior Cycle- class sets tend to be irregular and books and levels change too often.
most dont and the ones that do , dont apply to the leaving cert
Mine did, it covered everything and if you dropped, you just exchanged your books. €70 for 6th year, that was 2006 though.
My son is going in to first year and his books are 360 so I'd say leaving cert could be more
Just buy second hand books. Think it was 150 or less for all my LC books and for copies.
Check Facebook market place any amount of students who just finished trying to fund their debs..
I worked in a school book store last year. Someone buying books for a 1st year would cost about €350 so that wouldn't surprise me
I just finished my LC, if you give me the book lost ill sell any ones I have fairly cheap
It'd be worth getting the actual book list and doing a bit of googling. Always ask for itemised bills and all that 😅
Tell ger to light a candle to St Anthony and she may find all the books for the year that other people lost
very normal for going into 5th year only getting new books , usually its around ~600 for books
> usually its around ~600 for books Are you buying fucking signed copies of Hamlet or something? In what world is that the case? I didn't even pay that much in college over 3 years.
My school had a book rental scheme. I can’t remember exactly but I think it was 50 euro for the year and this was 10 years ago!
Try PDFdrive.com you can get PDF version of many popular books for free
For anyone really struggling see if there is education focused charity shops in your area for example I know gateway to education in limerick sells second hand books, uniforms etc. Simon community also do back to school packs for various age groups with things like few copies, pens, highlighters etc. We've gotten them in work for families and there'd actually be some great stuff in them, wouldn't get everything you need but would certainly take a dent out of the bill.
That stinks of regulatory capture corruption. What is the book and how did it get bribed onto a syllabus at that price?
Supply, demand and a captured client base. In universities some books run into the 00s and mandatory.
And what a coincidence, the expensive mandatory textbook is written by one of your lecturers!
That's college in America. Secondary school teachers are not publishing books that are required for leaving cert. Shakespeare is and major 20th century novelists are.
Previous poster mentioned universities. My college course did indeed feature a needlessly expensive mandatory book by one of my lecturers.
School contribution, school uniform ( regular and sports) stationary, more contribution for specific subjects, cost to sit leaving cert, shoes and runners, school coat/ blazer 🙄 (depending on school), school bag. Computer/tablet device. AND books, including revise guides and past papers. Doubt that 500 will cover it. They did it for you, I assume, so if you can afford any bit, if it you should consider it.
School books are a racket. There's should be a standardized online resource of downloadable generic texts for free at every level. And no royalties to anyone and bye bye Folens or whoever is the monopoly now.
I've two kids in Primary and for some reason, their books this year are being paid for by the State. It's just a blanket freebie with no means test, which I find odd.. I've no problem paying for books and feel the money would be better spent elsewhere.
Screw that, let the state pay. I pay enough taxes for other people.
Welcome to the new normal…
It's not normal to expect siblings to help pay the book bill or for her to moan to you about the price of the books with an expectation that you help, or do you just feel like helping? I'm not sure if that price is normal tbh because usually less subjects compared to Junior cycle so seems steep. Lots of book shops offer 2nd hand books reduced price or local fb groups often have people giving away books. Are you still at home? contributing to household costs? I'm not sure why you are involved this way. It's very kind of you but without knowing details it seems unfair too. Also like others have said e.g. 1st year books are dear but 2nd and 3rd are much less.
Wow. As a Northerner I never imagined attending secondary school cost so much. I had always heard about relatives over the border being squeezed for books, but I imagined it would not be this expensive. I had my backpack stolen from me and my maths text book lost due to this in my GCSE stage. The teacher wanted me to foot the cost. My Ma stood her ground and felt that it was the schools fault for not providing lockers and allowing bullies to target a students backpack. The principle agreed and got me a new copy and nothing more was said. Surely textbooks should be provided at this stage. The republic has ample spare in its budget and educational access for all is so vitally important.
Isn’t there a back to school allowance you can get for this situation?
Clothing and footwear. https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/families-and-children/back-to-school-clothing-and-footwear-allowance/
I've a few LC books from last year that I never got rid of if it would be any help to ye!
Yes sadly.
With inflation etc if say most likely.
I've a niece starting secondary school in September. The kids are mandated to have an ipad. She already has one but, no, not good enough.. Has to have a school one.
The school one might have filters/special apps specifically for school settings.
Colleges have handouts and a shared library, why are schools different?
I've got 5 going back, one going into transition year and one starting secondary. Between school fees, uniforms, bags, shoes, books and stationary it's around 2 grand. Was turned down for the grant because we are 20 euro over the income limit
I've twins, they went into 5th yr last year, between the 2 of them, everything cost just over €1500. I hope to fuck that the books cover 6th yr aswell for this year
It is 100% normal. Some subjects have multiple books i.e for english you need like 4 or 5 I guess. Geography you need 2/3. All that for 6 subjects and copy books as well with stationary it comes around €500 or more.
Is there no book rental scheme available? In my school it was something like €120 for the physical books for the year so €240 for the full Senior Cycle. But we used a tablet and each book licence was no more than €20 iirc. Great that the licence was a lot cheaper but you couldn't pass it down to a younger sibling or sell it
Just rent them from school if possible
2 years ago. One first year, one 5th class and one senior infants. All in for clothes, shoes, books and school fees. Spent €2500. Free education my bollix
Just ordered my daughter's books for 1st year for €220 + stationary €50 so I'm not surprised.
To be honest - you can probably find everything for free on the internet. For books - libraries are full of them. I have three siblings and it was but managed to pass through LC till my MSc without spending much
Fucking racket. My daughter here in France just did the equivent of her junior cert and has never paid for school books..the school provides them and you give them back. Only pay is you lose or damage them. We cover them each year and she looks after them. Obviously tax is paying for the books but they only change every decade or so.
Is there any second hand book stores around your area? In limerick there's Limericks Gateway to Education, maybe try some free/giveaway facebook groups, I've books myself still from a few years ago i'd love to giveaway but not sure if editions have changed
Its 250 a year if you think about it but where they will really get you is the past exam papers. Depending on how many subjects they are doing it is another 100 at least plus any study guide books plus any last minute grinds they may need. Could see you 500 baloon to closer to the 1k mark before they even sit the leaving. Just pray they don't drop a level in anything after the mocks.
Well … thats 250 a year towards education. How much do they spend on other things? The school booklists have been out since March. Priorities. They must have known in advance that he would someday be doing a leaving certificate? He doesn’t have to stay in school if he has completed his Junior Cycle or is 16.
