Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire, atá anseo chun an t-ábhar seo a phlé linn inniu. Is ábhar thar a bheith tábhachtach é. Beidh an tAire sásta a chluinstin go mbeidh muidne ag tacú leis an mBillle ag an bpointe seo. On the whole, Sinn Féin supports the Bill. It is right to create uniformity in this area and to set out in clear terms the relationship of schools to parents and students. Providing a framework in the form of a charter for parents and students will surely have a positive impact on engagement between parties. However, our party has some issues with the Bill, which could be improved in some areas. We will work collaboratively with the Minister and his officials in that regard.

One of the standard proposals for school charters is that they shall contain information on voluntary contributions. Sinn Féin's long-term view, which I am sure is shared by many Members, is that voluntary contributions should be abolished and that capitation funding must be increased. It is not right that these costs should fall on parents on top of all of the other back-to-school costs they face. Children are constitutionally guaranteed free education, but these contributions are voluntary in name only, with parents feeling obliged to pay them. This is unjust. Many families, especially single-parent households, are forced into debt as a result. The so-called voluntary contribution adds to their misery. The cost of secondary school is €1,735 per child per year, which is an increase of €300 on last year. Over the six-year course of a second level education, the so-called voluntary contribution constitutes a regressive tax which robs parents of an average of €700 per child. That is a failing on the part of the State and we should act to give workers and families a break. Sinn Féin will table an amendment in this regard in the hope of standardising the regulation and collation of data on voluntary contributions.

It is proposed in the Bill that review of the ministerial guidelines shall be at the discretion of the Minister. Experience tells us this is a case of whenever suits as opposed to when there is evidence of systemic flaws. We cannot allow lethargy to weigh down this fundamental relationship between schools and parents, and we will seek to amend this aspect of the Bill. Sinn Féin considers that reviews should be conducted with predictable regularity at intervals of three to five years.

Sinn Féin also considers that section 8 should provide some focus on grievances between parents, students and schools. Section 8(2) appears to Sinn Féin to be open to interpretation and to provide schools with too much discretion in dealing with complaints. Where a complaint is made against a school, it will have the power to dismiss it if it deems it not to be in its interest to investigate it. While such a provision does not appear to me to be appropriate, any solution in this regard should not unduly burden teachers. There may be scope, therefore, to provide that schools must provide in writing their reasons for dismissing complaints. The Bill runs a risk also of making schools feel excluded. Charters are not just about parents and students. They are also about protecting schools and staff. As such, we must ensure the process is inclusive of all key stakeholders. That said, Sinn Féin supports the Bill in principle and will approach amendments in good faith and with an open mind about working with the Minister and Seanad colleagues.