The photo is well suited for this blog with ‘Caution School’ being very appropriate! I’m one of the lucky ones I only have one school going child now so I dread to think how much some families are paying.
Education is meant to be free in Ireland, which is a joke because it certainly isn’t free. I ordered Lucy’s schoolbooks today and each one cost between 30-40 euro. These are just secondary school books, not college or university. I only ordered them this early because one website is giving 10% off until the end of July. Parents can’t buy 2nd hand books in most cases because some publishers seem to bring out new editions every year.
The uniform is another big expense. The school has changed the school skirt and they are 60 euro each. Why didn’t the school pick a plain coloured skirt instead of an awful kilt? The boys can wear plain grey trousers so the girls should be allowed to wear plain grey skirts. The jumpers cost 40 euro each because they have a school crest on them and the school jackets are 50 euro.
On top of that I will have to pay 70 euro of a voluntary contribution when Lucy goes back to school…..I don’t remember volunteering for that. Some parents didn’t send in the money last year and their children’s names were called out in class as a ‘reminder’.
If Lucy was to get the school bus that would cost another 300 euro a year….I would rather use that money to pay for my car insurance and drive her too and from school myself.
I’d love to hear what other parents think.
Magnumlady Blog 
That is quite shocking consider what we pay in taxes and the amount of effort which goes into schools fiscal arrangements with an army of staff working on the budgets.
Val I have 2 in national school. the books and stationery cost me €282. The only books I can pass down are the 3 or 4 reading books all the others are workbooks which the kids write in. In our school the uniform is optional and most choose not to wear it including my two. Our school is by no means flush with money or in excellent condition but thankfully the board of management take into consideration that times are tough. We have not been asked for a contribution for the last 3 years. When we were asked €50 was the amount they suggested but they said only give what you can afford. We gave €100 then as we could afford it at the time. In 3 years time I will have 4 in school and I’m already stressing about how I’m going to afford it. The school book publishers must be rolling in it.
It is crazy and I think the school book publishers shouldn’t keep publishing new editions for just a couple of minor changes. They say about third level costing a lot of money but no one thinks about primary and secondary school costs.