Richard Hogan: Free primary school books are incredible, but what about secondary?

"We are constantly being told how well the country is doing, and talk of rainy-day saving is in the air, before Budget 2023 is released in September. The government is clearly trying to manage our expectations."

Pic: iStock

It’s late July, which means the back-to-school machine is in full operational mode. 

I used to work in a bookshop in Douglas, Cork, and was always struck by how soon into the summer holidays the back-to-school propaganda was disseminated.