Children’s charity Barnardos is calling on the Irish government to make all primary education free for children, and the charity has estimated that it will take just €103 million to guarantee free education to every child in Ireland.

While primary education is free in Ireland, financial extras, including books, classroom resources and transportation ( including voluntary contributions) are paid for by parents. The charity believe that because of these extra payments, low-income families are hit hard and children’s lives suffer at back-to-school time.

In an infographic published today, the charity have outlined their plan to lobby the government to provide additional investment on education spending and restore Capitation Grants to 2010 levels.

According to their site on the merits of extra spending:

“ The impact of an inclusive, supportive education system reaches far beyond school grades. It means all children, regardless of their background, are given the same opportunity to learn and thrive. If we are truly determined not to allow any child’s chance in life to be decided by the income and circumstances of their birth, this investment by the Government is crucial.”

Barnardos, as part of their Free Primary Education: Make It A Reality campaign have been surveying the education costs of children in Ireland for the last ten years, and are calling for the government to relieve the ‘burden’ of education costs on parents. For more, see their CEO Fergus Finlay, speak here.

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