Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to speak on this Private Members' business, given the back-to-school pressure on my constituents in north Kildare. I am pleased that the Government has seen some sense and responded to an Teachta Ó Laoghaire's lead in addressing the back-to-school costs before the Dáil recess. What we are discussing is essential. Hardworking mothers are coming to me and saying that they feel sick to the pit of their stomachs. They are trying to manage the grocery shopping bills and see the school uniforms back in shops already. They are going to the counter with the schoolbook lists, hoping they will be able to make a start on them and will not have to leave it to the end of the August.

The plans regarding the so-called voluntary contribution will bring peace of mind to hardworking families. I ask the Minister to look at that. They are not really voluntary contributions. Families driving their children home from school receive a letter reminding them that their children will be excluded from school activities, in a country that prides itself on free education.

Low to middle-income families are drowning in the cost of living crisis. What we propose in the Private Members' motion would throw them a lifeline and give them a hand. Life is hard behind many people's doors, including some cases where you would not even have imagined it. Our carefully-costed plan would immediately put money in people's pockets and take away the mortification when that dreaded letter about the voluntary contribution comes, as well as giving breathing space to families suffering financial distress and worry. We would extend the back-to-school allowance at current rates to an additional 500,000 children in middle-income families. We propose to increase the payment by €80 from €160 to €240 for a child aged four to 11, and from €285 to €427.50, an increase of €142, for children aged 12 and over, while the Government is providing a flat €100. Sinn Féin believes we should target the increases at families who really need it. We all know the back-to-school costs are much higher for children going back to secondary school rather than primary school, including uniforms, books and so on. Our move to a free book scheme would be like manna from heaven for many parents, as would the extra 10,000 places on the busanna scoile. We need far more places on the busanna scoile if we are to show that we are really taking climate change seriously. I am surprised the Green Party did not seem to have any input into the eleventh hour action today. I welcome that the Government is following Sinn Féin's lead and has moved, but the Minister needs to move further.

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