Sinn Fein is calling on the Government to set up a school book scheme.
The party's finance spokesperson says the state scheme - where pupils would borrow books at the start of the year - would cost the state an initial 45 million euro.
A recent survey found the cost of sending a 6 year old to primary school was 355 euro - rising to 770 euro for a 12 year old in secondary school.
Pearse Doherty said the government needs to recognise the hardship that buying schoolbooks is causing.
