Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: Dáil Éireann:

notes that the Government:

— recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families;

— is committed to ensuring that schools will adopt measures to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs in line with Programme for Government Commitments; and

— has commenced work to review Circular 32/2017 which sets out the measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the costs of school uniforms and other costs as noted in Education Plan 2025, and this includes:

— the establishment of a working group, which includes representatives from the National Parents Council and from the education partners;

— planned engagement with parents as well as with children and young people to obtain their views; and

— work to promote uniform swap shops in all primary schools, thereby making uniforms more affordable and supporting sustainability, as committed to in the Programme for Government;

recognises that while decisions on school uniforms are a matter for individual schools and Boards of Management, Circular 32/2017 already sets out the principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school, including:

— schools are advised that they should select school uniform items which are generic and can be purchased from a range of retailers;

— only 'iron on' or 'sew on' crests should be used;

— schools should provide parents with a list of all required items and indicate the likely costs of these required items at best value stores;

— where an exclusive supply arrangement applies, it should be tendered for regularly; and

— schools should also consult with parents as to their views on how to reduce costs;

further recognises that the Government has introduced a number of measures to alleviate the costs associated for schools including:

— €170 million allocated to provide free schoolbooks for some 940,000 children and young people enrolled in schools in the Free Education Scheme, from the start of the 25/26 school year;

— €39 million secured in Budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs;

— over €69 million of additional funding allocated to school transport services as part of Budget 2026, and this is to provide for the additional demand for pupils with special educational needs on school transport services and increased bus contractor running costs; and

— additional funding of €58 million allocated under cost-of-living measures to the School Transport Scheme, to allow for continued reduced transport fees in 2025;

further notes that the Government is progressing the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill, which will strengthen engagement between schools, parents and students, including on issues such as school costs and uniform policies; and

accordingly declines to give the Education (Affordable School Uniforms) Bill 2025 a second reading.

I thank Sinn Féin, including Deputy O’Rourke, for introducing this Bill. The Deputy’s motivation is clear and sincere and shows genuine concern for families facing the very real costs that come with the new school year. I share that concern. I am aware that for many parents, the start of the new school year can be financially stressful, with new uniform and transport costs arriving all at once. This is why the Government has made affordability a central focus of our education policy. However, I cannot accept this particular Bill today. This decision is not about rejecting its intent; it is about recognising that we are already taking significant, evidence-based steps to achieve the same goals in a more comprehensive and sustainable way.

As colleagues will know, school uniform policy has traditionally been a matter for each board of management, reflecting local needs and traditions. However, since the publication of Circular 0032/2017, the Department of education has made clear that schools should take steps to ensure uniforms are affordable and accessible to all families. The circular sets out clear and practical guidelines for schools: uniform items should be generic and available from a range of retailers, not tied to just one supplier; iron-on or sewn-on crests should be used instead of embroidered ones; parents should receive a full list of required items and their likely costs at the best-value stores; exclusive supply arrangements must be subject to regular tendering; and schools should consult parents on how best to reduce costs. These measures aim to make a real difference but we recognise that more can be done. That is why a working group, including representatives from the National Parents Council and education partners, is reviewing Circular 0032/2017 to strengthen and update it. The group will engage directly with parents, children and young people to ensure the voices of those most affected are heard.

We are also commencing work to promote uniform swap shops across primary schools, helping families to save money while contributing to our wider sustainability goals. This is in line with our commitment in the programme for Government.

The central piece of our education policy is that the school always needs to engage openly with parents and students to listen as well as to inform them. That is the principle at the heart of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill, which is progressing through the Oireachtas and expected to go to Committee Stage before the end of this year. When enacted, this legislation will require every school to consult parents and students on key policy issues and activities. It also sets clear expectations with regard to communications, transparency and respect between schools, parents and students. It will ensure that families are genuine partners in decisions about their children’s education, including how schools manage costs. This is a collaborative approach rooted in trust and responsibility which will achieve far more than issuing a set of prescriptive guidelines.

In respect of broader Government measures to reduce costs, uniforms are one part of the cost burden families face. This is why the Government’s strategy is comprehensively tackling the full range of expenses that come with schooling. This year marks an historical milestone in Irish education policy. From September 2025, all students in the free education scheme, consisting of almost 1 million students and young people, will receive free books and core classroom resources. This represents an investment of over €170 million and a full delivery of the programme for Government commitment to provide free school books for every child. Schools will manage the provision directly, ensuring resources are used effectively and sustainably. This is one of the most significant steps taken to remove cost barriers in the Irish education system.

In the context of capitation funding, we have also taken major steps to support schools with their running costs. In budget 2026, the Department of education secured €39 million to increase capitation funding, giving schools greater flexibility to cover running costs and reducing reliance on parental contributions. This includes an increase of €50 per pupil in primary school and €20 per pupil in post-primary school. There are additional supports for DEIS and special schools as well. Over the past three budgets, capitation funding has increased by nearly 50% at primary level and 28% at post-primary level. This is a significant uplift in capitation funding.

We also maintain our commitment to affordable and accessible school transport. The school transport scheme, which Bus Éireann operates on behalf of the Department of education, has expanded significantly over the past six years. The number of children and young people using the service has grown from under 120,000 pupils in 2018 to over 178,000 pupils in 2025, which equates to an increase of close to 50%. Of those 178,000 pupils, over 100,000 mainstream pupils who are eligible for transport are facilitated, as well as more than 49,000 pupils who are receiving concessionary tickets. In addition, in excess of 23,000 pupils are travelling on dedicated school transport services for children with additional needs and more than 5,500 pupils from Ukraine are also facilitated on these services.

Investment in the school transport scheme has more than doubled from €200 million in 2018 to €512 million in 2024. This investment is extremely welcome as the scheme and associated costs continue to grow. Deputies will be aware that there have been many discussions on school transport here, at the committee on education and in the Upper House. We are committed to ensuring a further expansion of services in the years to come. In budget 2026, there is an extra €69 million to meet demand, especially for students with additional needs, and to offset rising operational costs.

The Department of Social Protection issues a back to school clothing and footwear allowance. Payments totalling €47.5 million to over 126,000 families in respect of over 221,000 children were issued in July 2025. These payments were issued automatically to eligible families who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Families who do not receive the payment automatically can apply directly to the Department of Social Protection. The allowance supports eligible families with the cost of school uniforms and footwear ahead of the upcoming school year. It provides €160 per child aged between four to 11 and €285 per child aged 12 years and over in second level education. Eligibility for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance was extended in 2025 to include foster care families. The total budget allocated to the scheme for 2025 amounted to €54.4 million.

This is a Government that acts on the evidence, in partnership with the education community, students, parents and education partners. I thank Deputy O’Rourke and Sinn Féin for raising and keeping this issue to the fore. Their concerns reflect the concerns of families right across the country and I share those concerns deeply. We are working with schools, parents and students, not around them. I believe the path we are on, through sustainable investment, ongoing collaboration and legislative reform, is the right one. While I cannot accept the Bill, I want to be clear that my Department is working hard to deliver on the Bill’s core intent in a way that is coherent, system wide and enduring. Our aim is simply that no family in Ireland should ever struggle to meet the costs of sending their child to school.

The review of Circular 0032/2017, the enactment of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill and our measures to provide free schoolbooks, increased capitation for schools and ongoing investment in school transport all form part of a coherent, evidence-based strategy to make education genuinely affordable for all. For that reason, I am asking the House to decline to give this Bill a Second Reading, but I do so while affirming my Department’s total commitment to tackling back to school costs and supporting families in every community in Ireland.

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