I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I will be sharing time with colleagues. It is clear that the cost of sending children school is rising and pushing more and more parents into significant financial hardship. Budget 2026 has failed to deliver the investment and vision which our education system so desperately needs. The Irish League of Credit Unions has reported that the cost of sending children back to school this year has increased since last year. It says that the costs often reach up to €1,560 for secondary school students and €1,450 for primary school students, increases of €154 and €364, respectively. These costs are putting extreme pressure on families who are already struggling with the spiralling cost-of-living crisis. Some 27% of secondary and 14% of primary school parents say they have had to use savings while 15% and 8% respectively had to take out a loan or borrow from family or friends to cover the cost of so-called voluntary contributions. Schools have been left short in terms of an increase in the capitation grant called for by teachers' unions. I am sure the Minister of State is aware that the cost of insurance, heating and energy and the day-to-day running costs of schools across the State have increased significantly. The insufficient increase in capitation funding will leave schools struggling to keep up with their bills. There is no doubt that parents will be relied on to try to make up the difference, to try to subsidise what is supposed to be a free education system. The Catholic Primary School Management Association has warned that parents will face a hike in voluntary contributions to plug funding shortfalls. It estimates that €54 million would be needed from so-called voluntary contributions to subsidise so-called free education. Parents also face new expenses for digital devices. The Minister of State will be aware that one in four secondary schools have moved to using digital devices rather than traditional textbooks. One digital device costs an average of €430 per child. Some parents who cannot afford to pay for the device up-front then pay what the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has dubbed a poverty premium as instalment payments can add up to a higher price. This is pushing those struggling most with their finances into greater debt. Like Terry Pratchett's boots, it is expensive to be poor. To add to this, this year the Government has decided to reintroduce the State exam fee, leaving parents with yet another expense. In this context of ever-increasing cost to families, we bring forward the Education (Affordable School Uniforms) Bill for Second Stage debate this evening. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission says that restrictive school uniform policies are stifling competition and driving up costs. In short, it says the Minister's 2017 circular is not working. Our Bill would address this. It would mandate all schools to adopt a cost-conscious uniform policy ensuring clear labelling of optional versus mandatory items to prevent unnecessary spending; multiple retail options for uniforms allowing parents to shop around for best value; minimal use of expensive branded items such as embroidered tracksuits to avoid excluding students from activities; stability in uniform policies so items can be reused or passed down to siblings; support for second-hand uniforms through swaps or sales; and compassionate enforcement of uniform rules where financial hardship is suspected. Barnardos, the Irish League of Credit Unions, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and others say costs for parents are increasing and that specific new measures are needed to help them. This legislation will be a good step on that road and the Minister should support it.

Sentiment score: 0.12

I thank everyone who contributed to the debate. Deputy Mythen put his finger on it when he said that the Government amendment is an elaborate way to kill the Bill, essentially. It refers to consultation, collaboration, engagement and further review, but the substance of the issue is this: what difference is the Government's approach going to make to parents sending kids to school next September? Zero. None. It will be of no benefit to them at all. If the Government enacted the Sinn Féin legislation, it would make a real difference to the lives of people and certainly the financial position of families across the State. The Government wants to review a circular that people working in the sector have said has not made a blind bit of difference. Rather than being reviewed, it should go straight into the bin. That is the reality of it. The Government wants to throw everything into the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill. When will that Bill actually come into effect? We are talking about an extended period after that before policies are developed. The cost-of-living crisis is now. We are living through it. We want urgent action from the Government to respond to it. What we are getting instead is consultation and engagement. I do not know about the language the two Ministers of State used when they said they do not want to tell schools what to do. That is exactly what we need to do, in a collaborative way for sure. An affordable school uniform policy needs to be developed, after thinking about this in a detailed way, and needs to be put in place in black and white. That is a reasonable ask and I think it would be met with a reasonable response from schools. It would make a huge difference to families across the State next September. The approach the Ministers of State have come here with - I do not know whether it comes from themselves, from the Department or from other Ministers - is the same type of mentality that has not made a blind bit of difference up to now. It did not make a difference in 2011, as Deputy Crowe said, or in 2017 when the circular was being drafted. The CCPC, Barnardos, the Irish League of Credit Unions and all of the poverty stakeholders say that not enough is being done. The Government's response tonight is wholly inadequate.

Sentiment score: 0.05