Parents have learned the hard way that school system is underfunded

On average, it’s €355 for a child starting school — that’s more than €1,000 if you have three children, writes Fergus Finlay.

THERE are transitions in every family. Sometimes you don’t even notice them until after the event, when you realise things will never be the same again.

My daughter, Vicky, will be experiencing one of those transitions next month, as the last of her three children starts school. It’s not yet clear if the primary school system in Ireland is ready for Mikey, mind you. Mikey was born with a fully formed personality, and leaves a lasting impression wherever he goes. (I could fill a book, never mind a column, with Mikey’s adventures. But that’s for another day.)