Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)

Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Darren O'Rourke, as an reachtaíocht thábhachtach seo a chur chun cinn.

Families right across south Kildare are at the pin of their collar. Week after week, my office receives emails from people who have to choose between heating and food. Scores of working families across the county are at risk of homelessness from rising housing costs because of new Government legislation. Costs keep rising, yet the Government decided to make families even worse off in this year’s budget. On top of rip-off electricity, insurance, food shopping and medical costs, school-related costs represent just one more area where families are being fleeced. Eighty percent of schools ask for voluntary contributions. Many schools are forced to pass the cost of facilities on to parents due to inadequate capitation. Families increasingly have to pay out for digital devices. According to the Irish League of Credit Unions, back-to-school spending is €364 more expensive this year than last year for primary school and €169 for secondary school.

Uniforms remain a huge cost for families. We know that certain schools still have uniform policies that require several crested and embroidered pieces, not only on the jumpers, pants and polo shirts but sometimes even on sports clothes and rain jackets. Frequently, a sole local provider has a monopoly over these, and this drives up the price. Schools also need to be directed not to change their uniform policies unnecessarily – a measure that would help to keep costs down over time.

We also need to consider second-hand schemes and have centralised guidance and support for such initiatives, as provided for in this Bill. Ireland is the second-largest producer of textile waste in Europe after Belgium. We consume 53 kg of textiles per capita per annum, according to www.changeclothes.org, which is more than double the EU average. We have a serious problem with consumption patterns and waste management systems in this country, and there is no doubt that school uniforms represent a chunk of that problem. Anyone with children will know they often need a new uniform every year, sometimes twice in a year, which leads you to wonder what happens to the outgrown uniforms of children who do not have siblings to hand them down to or who simply cannot pass them down due to crests. Chances are they are not recycled. I see real opportunity under this Bill for the Government and schools to take leadership on this issue and allow schools to institute a sustainable model and a mini-circular economy and mindset at community level.

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