Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

According to the Irish League of Credit Unions report, in 2015 voluntary contributions for primary schools were an average of €77. This year they are also an average of €77 so the cost has not gone down. In 2015, the average cost of voluntary contributions in secondary schools was €147 and in 2016 it will be €160. They are not going down.

There is another issue which is not part of the Minister's brief but perhaps he could discuss it with the Minister for Social Protection. School children lose their children's allowance at 16 and parents have to reapply for it when children go back to school and continue their education. Parents have an expectation of getting that children's allowance over a critical three-month period when they are under a lot of pressure buying books and school uniforms. They probably end up borrowing that money and paying interest on it. When they get the money back they can pay it off. There are areas where the Government can intervene much more decisively to support families in this way.

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