Kelly calls for removal of tax on iPads

Cllr Anthony Kelly has called on the government to remove tax on iPads and other electronic equipment used for educational purposes to bring it in line with current non-taxation on schoolbooks. The Wexford Sinn Féin Councillor said that the use of new technologies such as I Pads in our schools could save cash strapped families in the long term as well as providing a more proficient and practical learning experience for their children.


Cllr Kelly said;

“The use of electronic equipment such as iPads or Android tablets in our schools is inevitable. It’s only a matter of time before they are introduced across the country. Recently we have seen California replace textbooks with electronic equipment. By offering grants and cutting the tax on these instruments we can give our children’s education a huge boost. The Fine Gael and Labour coalition have time and again decreed the need to build a new smart economy. How better to do this than by introducing our school children to the tools of this could-be smart economy as early as possible?”

“Currently the state places no tax on school books. It makes sense that this tax exemption should be spread to cover electronic equipment that compliments or replaces text books. Every year families with school children are finding their text book bills rising. Much of this is down to a constantly adapting curriculum and the recent replacing of standard copy books with new work journals. The use of electronic equipment would cut out this expense in the long term and would also allow for a much faster and more efficient updating of the curriculum.”

“Critics of this plan would argue that the introduction of iPads into our schools would cost families more than what they pay now for text books. Recently a Donegal school which attempted this change over on a trial basis asked parents to foot a bill of €750 for each Childs’ iPad. This is why the government must step in and lead the way on this by firstly cutting the tax and then approaching either Apple or one of their competitors and asking them to co-operate financially in the facilitation of electronic tablets for every school child in the state. A grant should also be looked at. If we move now we could be ahead of the rest of Europe and we would be sending a clear message to the rest of the world that we as a nation are committed to building the fabled much talked about smart Irish economy.”