Department withholds funding for parents group after refusal to engage with financial review

As the post-primary system has different types of schools, it was agreed that the National Parents Council Post Primary group would be made up of delegates selected by four constituent bodies representing the different schools. File picture: Larry Cummins

The national group representing the parents of post-primary students has had its annual funding withheld after its board refused to engage with an external independent review of its financials and governance.

The Department of Education has "ceased" providing funding to the National Parents Council Post Primary (NPCpp). The voluntary group represents parents of post-primary students in consultations with the department alongside the school management bodies and teachers’ unions.

The Department of Education has now confirmed to the Irish Examiner that it stopped funding the organisation after its board "declined" to engage with an independent review by Governance Ireland, initiated in September. 

The department has also formally asked its sister organisation, the National Parents Council Primary, to extend its remit to support post-primary parents "with immediate effect". 

The department is of the view that to make any further grant payments to the NPCpp at this point in time "would be a breach of its obligations", a Department of Education spokeswoman told the Irish Examiner.  The department has also formally notified NCPpp of its decision. 

“The Department has an obligation to ensure that all Exchequer funds are accounted for and properly managed, that there is transparency and accountability in the management of public money.”

She added: "The Department sincerely regrets the situation which has now arisen directly as a result of the actions of the board of the NPCpp not to engage with the external review.”

As a voluntary group, the bulk of funding for the NPCpp comes from the Department of Education. It also provides annual funding for the group to operate a Leaving Cert helpline for students and their parents every year around results day.

The NPCpp annual report for 2021 shows it received €223,000 in total that year through grants and €30,000 in funding for the Leaving Cert helpline. 

In September, the Department of Education awarded a publicly tendered contract to independent consultancy firm Governance Ireland. This was for an expert to conduct a review of the governance and financial arrangements the group currently has in place. 

The expert was also asked to make observations and recommendations. 

The NPCpp was founded in 1985, according to its website. It is intended to act as an “umbrella organisation” for parents’ associations across the Irish education system. 

As the post-primary system has different types of schools, it was agreed that the group would be made up of delegates selected by four constituent bodies representing the different schools.

At a recent Oireachtas education committee Minister Norma Foley said there are some "outstanding questions" that need to be resolved by the group. 

"My department is very open and happy to continue engagement with the post-primary parents and their organisation but where there are questions the department needs answers or where it needs information, it must be in receipt of that also." 

The NPCpp did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by the Irish Examiner.