Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Are there any other members offering? As nobody is offering I will raise a number of issues. It was suggested to me that an upfront enrolment fee can be a deterrent for low-income families to apply for a place in such a school. Should there be a higher capitation fee for schools located in older school buildings? Obviously people attending schools with newer buildings will not agree, but it is harder to heat an older building.

Senator D'Arcy referred to the cost of workbooks and suggested it was more difficult for parents to meet these additional costs because of reducing incomes. I understand, but I did not get a chance to read it, that the Irish Examiner has a story on the higher than expected number of applications for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance, even though the number of eligible categories was reduced.

Will each group cover the issues that were raised when making their final contribution? Deputy Ó Ríordáin asked if the patron bodies could take on a leadership role and issue guidelines. Deputy McConalogue raised the issue of fee-paying schools. Deputy Griffin mentioned a company by name, but we do not endorse a particular company, but will somebody comment on the type of service it provided? During the summer, a company was in the news for the length of delays in servicing the orders for school books. I asked whether the capitation fee is sufficient for older buildings and if the upfront enrolment fee acts as a deterrent for low-income families going to particular schools.

I will call the groups in the order in which they made their contributions,