Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2022-07-06
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Gary Gannon (SD), Dublin Central

There is a myth of free education in this country. Yesterday's measures were an acknowledgement of that. They were driven by the level of fear and anxiety from parents contacting all of our offices including the Minister's talking about their dread over the cost of their children returning to school in September. It was estimated that €236 million would provide a fully free primary and secondary education in this country. It would alleviate the fear of the cost of schoolbooks and the voluntary contribution that sees a kid going home from school in October with a note in the bag saying that the parent has not yet paid it. Will the Minister commit to spending €236 million for free primary and secondary education in the budget to truly offset the fear of the return to education? For some it is a cost-of-living crisis. For others it is a cost of survival. That €236 million would go a long way to offset that.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2022-07-06/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:50:56+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-07-06