Teachers are criticising a new book rental scheme - saying proactive schools who set up a scheme already are being penalised.

The Minister for Education is launching the €15 million rental programme for primary schools this morning - but only for schools who don't have one in place already. Teachers' unions say that amounts to about 25% of schools.

The President of the INTO Brendan O'Sullivan told Newstalk's Breakfast schools that used their initiative and were thrifty will be excluded:

Mr. O'Sullivan explains that the start-up costs for a scheme like this are significant, though eventually a school's costs will be balanced out. He told the show about his own school "We received €11 per child, which comes to €3,500 for the school - on the Minister's own figures it would take about €32,000 to fully provide for the school."

The INTO President is hoping the Minister listens to the union's concerns.