Labour calls for ban on ‘voluntary’ school payments
THE Labour Party has said that around €100million should be spent on schoolchildren through the introduction of a free schoolbook scheme, a universal back-to-school clothing allowance, and a ban on socalled ‘voluntary’ contributions’ from parents to schools.
Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, the party’s education spokesman, yesterday launched the party’s ‘school costs’ policy, which advocates an immediate free schoolbook scheme for all primary schools with the view to extending it to secondary schools in two years.
It is estimated this would cost approximately €40million to roll out to primary and secondary schools, on top of the €20million that is currently being spent on book rental schemes, and should be funded through general taxation.
The party has also called for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, which is currently means-tested, to be rolled out universally – at a cost of around €49.5million.
Labour is also seeking a ban on requests for ‘voluntary’ contribution from parents.
The party’s document states that ‘many primary schools ask parents to make a generic donation or contribution, sometimes couched as a “voluntary” contribution but often obligatory in effect.
‘These contributions are, in effect, a school fee in another guise, which works against the Constitutional commitment to the provision of free primary education. Voluntary contributions are an acute cost for families, especially those with several children, and especially those on low incomes,’ it adds.
Labour already has legislation in the Seanad on this issue.
It has been estimated that approximately €45million is raised by voluntary contributions each year, but the Labour party says that this ‘includes contributions that would not be outlawed through our legislation’.
Mr Ó Ríordáin yesterday told the Irish Daily Mail that while it is a ‘bold proposal’, they believe the €100million can be found.
He said that this spend would make a massive difference in terms of how schools operate and on the relationship between parents and schools, and school management and principals.
Mr Ó Ríordáin said: ‘A lot of principals will say that a huge number of the conversations they have with parents are around money. Parents should be talking to principals about education, child developments, about schooling.’