I thank the Labour Party for tabling this motion. The motion before us reflects a concern that many families will recognise, namely, that the costs associated with going back to school can place real pressure on household budgets. Both the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and l, and the wider Government, recognise that concern. Our focus is on practical measures that reduce costs, support schools and ensure every child can participate fully in school life. The issues raised today are important. I thank all Deputies who raised the issues across the Chamber. They reflect the real and often significant financial pressures that many families face at the start of the school year. Those pressures are felt in very practical ways: through the cost of uniforms, transport, classroom materials and, increasingly in some cases, digital devices. The Government recognises those pressures. More importantly, we are acting to reduce them. Our aim is simple: school costs should never stand in the way of a child taking part fully in school life. A particular focus of today's debate has been the issue of digital devices in schools. Deputies have raised legitimate concerns about the costs that can arise for families where schools use digital technologies as part of teaching and learning. The Government recognises these concerns. Digital technologies can support high-quality teaching, learning and assessment. They can open new opportunities for students, support learning and help young people develop the skills they need in an increasingly digital world but technology must support inclusion and must not become a new source of inequality. That is why the Minister, Deputy Naughton, wrote directly to all schools on 25 May following concerns raised by parents about the growing costs associated with digital devices. The Minister made it very clear that there is no requirement for a student to have their own personal device for school. This is an important point, and one that bears repeating. There is no national requirement that students must own or purchase a digital device in order to attend school or participate in learning. Where schools are considering the use of digital devices, they are expected to take full account of the financial impact on families and to ensure that no student is disadvantaged because of their circumstances. The guidance issued by the Department asks schools to place affordability, equity and value for money at the centre of their decision-making. Before introducing any expectation that families purchase devices, schools are encouraged to consider whether students' needs can be met through school shared devices. Importantly, schools can use ICT grant funding to purchase and manage such devices. The guidance also asks schools to consult with parents and students before introducing or reviewing digital device arrangements. It encourages schools to take account of the overall cost of education for families: to provide clear information on device requirements; to avoid exclusive purchasing arrangements; and to consider options such as second-hand, refurbished or reused devices where these can reduce costs. This is the right balance. It respects the role of schools and boards of management in making decisions at local level while making clear that those decisions must be informed by engagement with parents and students and by a clear commitment to affordability and inclusion. While digital devices have been a strong focus of the debate, the Government also recognises that school costs go much wider. Families can face a range of costs at the start of the school year and those costs can arrive all at once. That is why the Government has taken action across a number of areas. The free books scheme, which was introduced, is a great example. It is one of the most significant measures ever introduced to reduce the cost of education for families. Since September 2025, almost 1 million children and young people have benefited from free books and core classroom resources. That represents an investment of €160 million and the full delivery of the programme for Government commitment to provide free schoolbooks for every child. The Government has also increased capitation funding to schools, as the Minister outlined earlier. In budget 2026, €39 million was secured to increase capitation funding, giving schools greater flexibility to meet running costs and reduce reliance on parental contributions. Over the past three budgets, there has been a substantial uplift in capitation funding at both primary and post-primary levels. The Government is also maintaining investment in school transport. The school transport scheme has expanded significantly in recent years, with the number of children and young people using the service increasing from just under 120,000 in 2018 to over 180,000 in 2025. There has been an increase of over 145% in investment in the scheme from 2019 to 2025. The scheme expenditure was €219 million in 2019, rising to €537 million in the last school year. The back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance continues to provide important support to families. As of this month, payments totalling €47.8 million issued to over 123,000 families for over 229,000 children. The rate of payment per child is €160 for children aged between two and 11 and €285 for children aged 12 years and over. These are practical supports that make a real difference for families. This has been a valuable debate and I thank all Deputies for the sincerity of the debate and for bringing forward the motion. The concerns raised are real. They reflect the pressures that some families can face at the start of the school year. We are implementing practical measures that make real-world differences to families. We are supporting families through free books, increased capitation funding, investment in school transport, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, and the expansion of the hot school meals programme. We are also strengthening guidance on school uniforms and strengthening the voice of parents and students through the Student and Parent Charter Bill. The Department has issued guidance asking schools to prioritise affordability, equity, consultation and value for money. The Government will continue to work with schools, patrons, students and across the education partners to reduce costs, support inclusion and ensure every child can participate fully and confidently in education.

Sentiment score: 0.26