Back-to-school costs force families to seek out moneylenders, warns Laois TD

A Laois TD has warned that mounting back-to-school costs are putting serious pressure on families.

Speaking in the Dáil, TD Brian Stanley urged that further measures must be introduced to ease the burden of school costs on lower and middle income families ahead of the new school year starting next month.

Deputy Stanley was supporting the motion put forward by TD Eoghan Kenny who stated that the number of parents taking out loans to help with school costs doubled from 2025 to 2026, according to the Zurich Cost of Education in Ireland survey.

Deputy Kenny added that there have been 3,000 requests to St Vincent de Paul from parents seeking assistance with the costs of IT devices for school.

“We are at the time of year again when parents, particularly those in the low and middle-income brackets, face the annual challenge of covering back-to-school costs,” Deputy Stanley said.

“Families are facing a stack of fees and expenses in respect of uniforms, increased school transport costs, school stationery, so-called voluntary contributions, and laptops and IT equipment. In addition, State exam fees are back.”

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The Laois TD noted that the total cost per school year can accumulate to €1,700 for primary school children and up to €2,900 for secondary school children, according to surveys. He said that for families with a number of children in school, these costs can be “a major headache.”

Although he acknowledged that the free school books scheme and book-rental scheme are a help, the savings being made on books are “wiped out” by the cost of IT equipment which can cost up to €500 or more.

Deputy Stanley also highlighted the more hidden back-to-school costs such as transition year contributions and school trips.

“In the struggle to meet these costs, many households turn to moneylenders because there is nowhere else to go. In some cases, they pay penal amounts to illegal moneylenders who charge rates of interest in excess of 50%,” the Laois TD told the Dáil.

Deputy Stanley urged the Government to do something about these rising school costs amidst the cost-of-living crisis, including a Ministerial order for generic uniforms and the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.

“In the context of the proposals in the motion regarding the introduction of enforceable guidelines for schools and the fact that some schools have a mandatory requirement in respect of laptops and IT equipment, it is important that these be instructions as opposed to just the subject of a department letter that was sent out.

“We also need to restore the school grant up to an amount of €50 million in order to cover the cost of ICT infrastructure. We need to restore the €100 that was cut from the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance and issue a ministerial order to schools in relation to generic uniforms.”