School Costs Survey 2018: Briefing Paper

Summer holidays from school are a free, exciting, fun filled time for children; but for their parents the summer months can be filled with stress and debt as they struggle to afford the cost of sending their child back to school. Parents understand the importance of their child’s education and no parent wants to see their child go without so they find a way; but often this comes at the expense of other household expenditure or means they go into debt in order to pay for school. A core theme of this year’s survey responses is that parents know they are shouldering the burden for a Government which is falling short of fulfilling its obligation to provide free education, and they are not prepared to take it anymore. Parents believe children in Ireland should have access to the same educational supports as children in other EU countries- such as free school books and no expectation of voluntary contributions. They are sick and tired of having to supplement the under investment in schools through cash payments and fundraising.

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