Primary school funding - State must pay real costs of education

It seems ludicrous that despite the importance the Government insists it attaches to education, the primary sector claims to be on the “breadline” because of the gap in official funding and what it actually costs to run a school.

This claim by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) is on foot of a survey of 10 Dublin schools which shows that parents are effectively paying an education tax because of a shortfall in funding ranging anywhere between 15% and 35.5%.

Yet, second-level schools enjoy a far superior grant per pupil, which is €286, in comparison to €133.58, and both increase by 12 next year.