Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise a point of order because I want to give an opportunity to the Taoiseach. Yesterday, I raised a question on Leaders' Questions and the Taoiseach may have inadvertently misled the Dáil. He said, when I raised the issue of voluntary contributions in schools:

Voluntary contributions are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of any compulsion to pay, that in making a contribution they are doing so under their own volition and that they are not under pressure to do so ... This is all outlined in Circular 0065/2010, which clarifies what charges can be requested from parents.

I checked the circular. It refers only to former fee-paying secondary schools that have now converted to free education schemes. The circular does not address the bulk of secondary schools and none of the primary schools. For clarity, if the impression was given that there is some rule to prohibit it, there is no such rule and I know the Taoiseach would like to make that clear.

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