Laois school 'fundraising to buy toilet rolls' with all schools short €25,000 yearly

Laois primary schools have had their budgets "shredded" and are relying on parents to fundraise to pay basic bills, right down to toilet rolls.

Laois councillors have described the hit that children, parents and schools are taking, due to the low state capitation grant.

A Portlaoise teacher who is also a councillor in Portlaoise Municipal District, says parents councils are fundraising on average €10,000 a year to try and fill €25,000 shortfalls.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan has gained the support of his Laois County Council elected colleagues to demand more from Minister for Education Helen McEntee.

He tabled a motion describing the hit to schools, to the July council meeting.

"The budget is the same as it was 17 years ago in 2008. Post pandemic inflation has shredded the budget. The capitation funding on average falls short €25,000 of real costs. Parents are fundraising on average €10,000 per school annually due to financial pressures.

"This is having a huge impact on field trips, buses, matches. Teams have opted to join only one day blitzes because they can't afford matches. 

"The capitation is €200 per child in primary, but €345 in secondary. Next September it will rise by €24 in primary but €41 in secondary, the gap is widening. They are only paid for the first 500 pupils. In bigger schools that pressure comes back to the boards of management.

Our union have been lobbying about this for years. We want the minister to deliver equal capitation grants to all schools to ensure fairness for all children," Cllr Mulligan said.

Another councillor went a step further to describe a serious local shortfall.

Cllr Paddy Buggy cites one primary school serving many Portlaoise children, that is deeply in the red each year.

"The principal of The Heath National School has told me they are short nearly €40,000 a year. They have to fundraise to even buy toilet rolls. Secondary schools shouldn't be penalised either. They should both be brought up to date. Education is key, it's the building block to good lives and earning good money," Cllr Buggy said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded the motion.

"Even with the higher rate, secondary schools have extra challenges. This gap needs to be filled," she said.

Read also: Laois locals to walk from Portlaoise to Knock for charity

A survey by the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, found that costs like cleaners, utilities and insurance have increased by 60 to 70% for primary schools.

A letter will now issue from Laois County Council to Minister McEntee.