Parents of primary and secondary school children have been turning to charities to help with the costs, it has been suggested.

The Irish Independent's education editor John Walshe has stated that families struggling to cope with the rising expenses of sending children to school have enlisted the help of charities.

Speaking to the newspaper, a spokeswoman for St Vincent de Paul (SVP) confirmed there had been a rise in the number of calls it had received with relation to education finances.

The Christian charity gives financial assistance to those suffering from poverty, as well as helping schoolchildren by putting on homework classes, revision sessions and providing breakfast clubs.

SVP's Mairead Bushnell said: "The calls are coming, not just from families who are on social welfare, but also from low-paid workers who are struggling."

Parents' financial concerns are likely to be greater at the moment after the Health Service Executive confirmed that they are behind with making school grant payments.

Written by Donal Walsh

Comments