Review funding for private schools, says Labour

THE growth of private schools could be halted if the State stopped paying the salaries of their teachers, it was claimed yesterday.

One-in-three pupils in Dublin attends a private secondary school - with annual fees of up to €4,000 - compared to one-in-four pupils 20 years ago.

The Labour Party said the Department of Education should review the €85 million it paid to private schools each year for teachers salaries and grants.

Education spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan TD said: “Considering the difficulties in financing the public sector, I think we have to question the amount going to private schools. Because so many parents are sending their children to private schools, it’s making it more difficult for public sector schools to get a balance of children from different economic backgrounds.”

All of the main private schools recorded large increases in pupil numbers over the last two decades.

In contrast, pupil numbers have dropped at state schools. Private schools now take in 32% of all students in Dublin, compared to 24% in 1983-84.

Ms O’Sullivan said this trend would accelerate unless there was Government intervention. Education Minister Noel Dempsey had announced a review of state supports for fee-paying schools but nothing had happened since, she said.

The Association of Secondary Teacher of Ireland (ASTI) said the growth of private schools reflected increased national prosperity.

Ex-president Pat Cahill said fee-paying schools had two advantages: extra resources for more extra-curricular activities and the perceived ‘old boy’ network.

He said the growth of private schools was a threat to the education system.