Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for bringing forward this motion. Sinn Féin proposes to put in place a significant package of €161 million in cash payments. I welcome the measures introduced today but they do not go far enough and will not deal with the situation facing a great many families. We need to do simple things. We need to give a back to school allowance to middle-income families with a household income of less than €80,000, increase the back to school clothing and footwear allowance by 50% and work towards abolishing voluntary contributions. Last year, I challenged a school that would not allow an application form for children to be processed unless a €100 deposit was paid, which would be returned later. That is wrong. It puts pressure on parents at a very early stage. As a parent of four children who have gone through school - three have also gone through college while the youngest looks forward to going in October - I know what it is like for the many parents who are trying to deal with the costs of children going to school. Those back to school costs are an enormous issue every year as parents have to pay hundreds and often thousands on books, uniforms, the so-called voluntary contributions I have mentioned and many other things. It is not just an issue for September and October but continues until the following summer. That needs to be dealt with.

The Tánaiste cast doubts on NGOs' data on the cost of children's return to school. I would like him to withdraw that slur on the professionalism of these groups. I am sure he will not be found wanting when it comes to cutting a ribbon or taking part in a photo opportunity with these groups. It is important that he retracts the statement he made today. In a 2021 survey, one of those groups, Barnardos, found that 50% of parents said they were concerned about the cost of the return to school and that 20% of parents take out some form of loan to pay school costs. It is absolutely outrageous that a parent unable to pay these costs would have to take out a loan.

The Government has moved and that is very welcome. Many people will be happy with that movement but there is a group of people, working families, who will get absolutely nothing and who will also struggle. These are the ones going to the credit union or bank to try to get money to send their children to school or college. That needs to be addressed.

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