Grants for school uniforms €100 short, says Labour

PARENTS on low incomes will have to fork out an average of €100 for school uniforms - despite qualifying for the State’s back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, it emerged yesterday.

This shortfall will be revealed in a comprehensive survey on the cost of returning to school to be published by the Labour Party on Monday.

The back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance paid to low-income families should cover the entire cost of uniforms, sportswear and footwear, Labour’s Education spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan said.