Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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246. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on extra costs being imposed on parents of children attending post-primary schools such as charges for transition year activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39491/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My ambition is to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe within a decade.

To deliver on my ambition to be the best we have to improve information and complaint procedures for parents and students, particularly in relation to costs.

I want to give parents a strong voice in ensuring costs are always kept to a minimum.

I announced in April of this year measures to be adopted by schools to reduce school costs. The circular can be accessed on my Department’s website at . The circular advises that schools should consult with parents on their views and suggestions on cost reduction initiatives and that a questionnaire which would address the principles of cost-effective practice should be sent to parents once every 3 years.

Extra-curricular activities and education trips abroad form a part of the school programme, including the programme offered by some schools to students in transition year. In planning such activities schools are requested to be sensitive to the financial pressures on parents.

In accordance with my Department’s circulars, the objective of an educational tour should be to provide a significant benefit in the educational, intellectual, cultural and social development of pupils taking part. It is a matter for each individual school to decide on the suitability of any proposed school tour having regard to these requirements. Likewise it is a matter for each school to determine the extra-curricular activities that it undertakes. In making decisions about extra-curricular activities of school or school tours, all schools should take into account the costs for parents so as to ensure that these are not prohibitive or serve to exclude any pupils.

Voluntary contributions by parents 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 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.

If parents have a concern that there is some compulsion regarding contributions in a school, they can bring the matter to the attention of my Department who will follow up with the school in question.