Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for taking the time to come before the House and the Ceann Comhairle for selecting the topic. I raise the need to preserve parental choice for secondary schools. As a result of the sustained reduction in funding this Government has introduced, more and more fee-paying schools are being forced to enter the free education system, which is a worrying trend. By and large, parents who send their children to fee-paying schools are not the elite or multi-millionaires the media would often have us believe, but rather, parents who choose to make sacrifices to give their children the best possible chance in life. They opt out of extra holidays, or any holidays. They work hard, pay taxes and save the State a large amount of money.

It is interesting and worrying to note that three long-established fee-paying schools entered the free education system this year, Gormanstown College in Meath, Newtown School in Waterford and the oldest school in the country, St. Patrick's Cathedral Grammar School, which happens to be in my constituency. This follows similar withdrawals by Kilkenny College and Wilson's Hospital School in Multyfarnham. A number of others have indicated that they, too, may be forced to leave the fee-paying system and join the public system. This is at huge cost to the State. The cost of educating children is not totally borne by parents but is also an obligation on the State. However, the annual cost of a pupil's education in a fee-paying school is €3,710 compared to €8,900 in a free education school.

An independent report produced in recent months shows that should the 25,600 students who are currently in fee-paying schools be forced into the free education system, it would cost the State an additional €133 million per year. There is a major cost implication for the State.

I am also concerned about the education (admission to school) Bill, which Deputy Mathews raised already on the Order of Business, but perhaps I will get a chance to raise it in a moment.

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