Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, an Teachta Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, for all his work in this area. I thank him principally for listening to parents who are really worried about not being able to cope as their kids go back to school. These are real worries and as September comes, people start to worry more. An Teachta Ó Laoghaire has done more than just listen. He has learned from those parents what they desperately need and put it into a comprehensive package, which we are laying before the House tonight on behalf of those parents, who are struggling. I welcome the U-turn by the Government. As we know, the Government said it would not be doing anything but would wait for October, but now the budget is in September and there are some additional measures. If this was a school report, we would say "could try harder", or "could listen a little better".

In my constituency, Dublin Fingal, we pay some of the highest rents in Europe. Back-to-school costs are not a nuisance for my constituents; it is a matter of being able to get to the end of the week or not. Most people cannot afford the rents that we have to pay unless they have a second income, where both parents are working, paying some of the highest childcare rates and rents in Europe. The cost of everything is going up. We welcome the measures but it has already been outlined to the Minister that 500,000 kids will miss out. We ask that she listen to what we and the parents are saying. She should listen to their lived reality and their experience of the cost of living crisis. She should take all of that into account and revise the proposals in order that they make a meaningful difference to the lives of low and middle-income earners, who are struggling.

I draw attention to what the Minister said in her contribution about when voluntary contributions are sought for parents, it must be made clear to all families that the contributions are voluntary in nature. Does she have any idea what sort of pressure is put on parents to pay that voluntary contribution? Would she like to be the only child in the class who was not paying that? The Minister knows and kids know that these contributions are far from voluntary. It mortifies teachers and principals to have to ask for it, but they are making up a shortfall left by the Government. I ask the Minister to live in the real world. These contributions are in no way voluntary. They put pressure on parents.

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