School Costs Survey Briefing

Abstract

Unlike previous years, the issue of school costs have remained high on the political agenda throughout this year with the Minister encouraging the setting up of school book rental schemes and the Joint Oireachtas Committee examining it and issuing recommendations for reform. While these efforts are welcome, Barnardos believes much of it is paying lip service to the problem and both the Minister and Department of Education needs to do more to tackle the high costs of education at a local level, particularly challenging the Patron Bodies and school’s Boards of Management to make real changes that would ease the financial burden on parents.