Ireland’s education system is lauded by Government as free to access; but, as every Irish parent knows, this is far from the truth.
In reality, many Irish parents are forced to cut back in other areas in order to foot the bill for uniforms, school shoes, books and ‘voluntary contributions’ as well as extra-curricular activities and sports equipment.
According to the latest Barnardos survey, parents are fed up with school costs and feel the Irish education system is unfair. Now the charity has come up with a new plan to remedy the situation… and it would only cost the Government €185 per child.
The State currently pays €470.5m per year towards the cost of education for primary and secondary students. According to Barnardos, adding an extra €103m per year to this budget would truly make primary education free, paying for books, uniforms, free transport for children who need it and all classroom equipment.
If another €127m was added to the budget, secondary school students would avail of the same.
Barnardos CEO Fergus Finlay told the Irish Independent that the €185 per student was a miniscule outlay:
“It’s a question of prioritising resources to get maximum effect.” he said.
“The first budget of the new Partnership Government will be published this autumn as Ireland firmly emerges from a bitter recession which has left one in nine children living in consistent poverty. Now is the time for this Government to take a bold move and make free primary education a reality,”
Cuts to social welfare rates, such as the halving of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, have hit families hard this year. In fact, a large proportion of parents who answered this year’s Barnardos survey (42 per cent)said they have to forgo paying household bills or cut back on daily expenses to afford their child’s school costs.
Many parents also raised the additional financial strain placed on them as their child gets older. Teenage children cost more to clothe and feed, school books and voluntary contributions are usually higher and losing Child Benefit when their child turns 18 years old (while they might still be in full-time education) compounds the additional costs.
How much has your child’s free education set you back this year? Join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
