Kildare parents struggling with back-to-school costs – TD
Deputy Mark Wall (Labour) was speaking recently in the Dáil on the issue
A Labour TD for Kildare South has lambasted the growing cost of education in Ireland.
Deputy Mark Wall was speaking recently in the Dáil when 'Digital Divide and Back to School Costs: Motion [Private Members]' came before the House.
Deputy Wall told the Dáil that the cost of education is increasing “year on year.”
The government was rightly praised, he pointed out, for introducing the free books scheme, “but parents tell me that what the scheme gives on one hand is being taken away by the cost of laptops on the other.”
The Labour TD said it is now time for the Minister and her Department to provide clarity to school communities and parents by making a statement to the Dáil on the matter, adding, “We cannot let parents spend the summer months worrying about this.”
“Every year, Bus Éireann and the Department of education places enormous pressure on those applying for school transport, which is another cost”, Deputy Wall stated.
“This is a massive issue for many parents in my constituency of Kildare South who are fighting every year for a place for their child. Even if they are lucky enough to get a place, these families could face paying up to €200 for primary school transport and €220 for secondary school transport.
“In a cost-of-living crisis, this is an attack on working families who are doing their best to get their children to school and to get to work on time.”
According to Deputy Wall, when voluntary contributions, digital devices, uniforms, State examination fees, mock examination fees, school transport fees etc. are factored in, “we no longer have free education. We no longer have equal starts for each of our children.”
Deputy Wall told the Dáil that the government needs to “deliver on the State's promise of free education.”
“We ask it to listen to the Labour Party, to parents and to school communities, and to show up for workers”, he concluded.