Minister to act on school payments
However, she rejected opposition claims that she has the power to compel school boards to adopt policies that would reduce costs of uniforms for parents.
Responding to the latest school costs survey from the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), which revealed annual concerns about funding children’s return to school and the debts some families accrue to do so, the minister said there should be no compunction on parents to pay towards schools’ running costs.
The survey found that 70% of parents are expected to make voluntary contributions, which are more commonly sought by second-level schools where the average being looked for is down slightly on last year to €147. At primary level, parents expect to pay €115, a €5 drop on last year’s average.
Ms O’Sullivan told the Dáil that parents must be made aware that any contributions must be voluntary.
“My department is ready and willing to take action where there are any allegations of pressure on parents and students, and I do want to see the reliance on voluntary contributions diminished,” she said.
Asked what action it can take, the Department of Education said it would follow up with the schools in question, which are not allowed charge fees unless they are fee-paying second-level schools. A spokesperson said the number of such complaints received in 2015 is understood to be less than 10.
Ms O’Sullivan admitted that a factor in schools seeking financial aid from families is that her department has cut day-to-day spending funds in recent years, which she hopes to redress in her 2016 budget.
Sinn Féin education spokesman Jonathan O’Brien told her she has power under the 1998 Education Act to direct schools in relation to their uniform policies.
“You have said it’s your personal opinion that we should move to a situation where generic uniforms are available,” he said. “But it will take a bit of political will on your behalf to actually use your statutory powers as minister for education to compel boards of management, and not give us this wishy-washy response that you want parents themselves to put pressure on boards.”
The minister said she has been advised she does not have such legal authority but she will check again on the matter.
Despite increased availability of rental schemes, average second-level schoolbook bills are up from €166 to €213 in the ILCU survey.
The minister said she was willing to see if a voluntary code of practice agreed by schoolbook publishers with her predecessor Ruairi Quinn needed to be reviewed. But she understood they were adhering to the code, committing them to limit revisions that can force parents to buy new editions instead of secondhand ones or those available through rental schemes.
Her department has paid grants this year to schools operating rental schemes since before 2014, bringing investment in those programmes to almost €16m in three years.
Other costs on the rise include transport — up from €102 to €124 on average this year — and sports gear, which the ILCU survey found will cost an average of €68 and €109 for primary and second-level students, respectively.
Ms O’Sullivan also said parents can apply for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. But 15% of eligible parents surveyed for the ILCU believed it was insufficient.
