Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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1234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to introduce legislation governing service charges imposed by secondary schools on students and their families at the commencement of the school year; if she is aware of the massive divergence of service charges amongst non-fee paying schools within the same area; the efforts that are being made to unify them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31011/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Apart from the recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised schools are not permitted to charge mandatory fees or payments from existing pupils or from those seeking admission to the school. Recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme have teaching resources and other funding allocated to them on a different basis from those schools that charge fees.

The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which was published in April of this year, prohibits the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions as part of the school admission process or for continued enrolment in the school. Exceptions are provided in the case of fees charged by schools known as fee charging schools, fees charged by boarding schools for the boarding element and fees charged by schools for post leaving certificate courses insofar as those fees relate to the cost of providing such courses.

Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils in such recognised schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. The manner in which such voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management; however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.

A school may seek payment to cover the cost of photocopied or other such learning materials where the amount sought by the school is consistent with the costs involved and the level of materials provided. It is also permissible for a school to seek payments in respect of extra-curricular activities provided such activities are not obligatory and individual pupils can choose whether or not to participate. No charge may be made, however, in respect of instruction in any subject of the school curriculum or for recreation or other activities where all pupils are expected to take part.

I believe that schools need to be accountable to parents and we need greater levels of communication, engagement and transparency in how schools serve their communities. Better information for parents, including information in relation to the collection and use of voluntary contributions, is an issue that I will be looking at in the context of the Department's work on developing plans for a Parents' and Students' Charter.