Kilkenny parents are struggling with education costs

Sinn Féin TD and Education spokesperson Kathleen Funchion says a St Vincent de Paul report on Back to School costs is the latest to show that the Government is not doing enough to support parents who are struggling to afford the costs of ensuring their children receive an education.

The Carlow-Kilkenny TD said: “Sinn Féin recognises education as a fundamental human right. Children, regardless of economic or social background, should be able to access the education system.

“SVP have reported a 20% increase in calls for Back to School assistance, it couldn’t be clearer that the Government is failing families that are struggling to ensure their children receive a high quality education that is so essential.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul received a record number of calls in August, which included calls from more than 5,000 families seeking back-to-school help, the society confirmed.

“SVP, Barnardos, and the Irish League of Credit Unions have all released reports this summer that lead to similar conclusions,” said the Carlow Kilkenny TD.

“The Government, far from addressing the ever spiralling costs of putting a child through school, is not even capable of ensuring that existing supports such as the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance are paid on time, which only causes further suffering to parents as school terms resume.

“The school calendar is fixed. The Government knows exactly when families will need to receive these payments and they still fail to deliver.

“Sinn Féin has consistently shown how the Clothing and Footwear Allowance could be improved, school capitation enhanced, and contribution levies eliminated through fully costed measures. The only conclusion that can be drawn from Government failures in these areas is that they simply do not value a child’s right to an education.”

SVP spokesperson Tricia Keilthy said: “Back-to-school this week has been a really exciting time for lots of children and their parents. But for many low income and struggling households, the preparation for the new school year has been a huge source of stress and anxiety, with the prospect of further requests throughout the year for contributions for education, exam and extra- curricular expenses.

“As well as the ordinary costs of school, some of the emerging issues that we see include the huge costs of Transition Year registration and trips and an increasing requirement for expensive digital devices.”

SVP is calling on the Minister for Education to start to make free education a reality with proper funding for schools and additional supports for parents.

While the increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance this year was welcome, says SVP, it remains significantly below 2011 levels.