Following reports of schools not allowing pupils in without paying a “voluntary contribution”, some said the payment should be called a fee.

The Irish Independent reported some secondary schools are refusing to accept new students until “voluntary” contributions of up to €200 are paid. 

The money is used to provide things like art supplies and journals, and fund activities for the classrooms. 

Broadcaster Stefanie Preissner told The Anton Savage Show the issue isn’t necessarily that parents are paying this, but that they’re being lied to. 

“Let's just not call them voluntary contributions and say, ‘We need this money because the state will not provide us with sufficient funding or cannot provide us with sufficient funding’,” she said. 

“Either the State pays them more, in which case we paid for it via taxation, or we stop calling it voluntary contributions. 

“It's not voluntary - I'm being forced to do it, so we just call it a fee.” 

Paying a voluntary contribution

Ms Preissner said this contribution is an issue for families with lower incomes, but some people just “resent” having to pay at all. 

“There are definitely people who just resent having to pay a voluntary ‘fee’ but can afford €200,” she said. 

“[We should] stop calling it voluntary, have those people pay, and if you genuinely can’t pay or it's too much for you, you do some sort of deal with the school.” 

Business Post Political Correspondent Daniel Murray pointed out parents are faced with a lot of “hidden fees” in schools. 

“Somebody was telling me the other day that you can get eBooks now and obviously this is meant to make things easier if you have an iPad,” he explained. 

“But you have to buy the schoolbook to get the QR code or code to actually download the eBook.” 

Hidden fees

Mr Murray also pointed out that in some cases, children are taken out of class and questioned about paying the contribution fee. 

Barnardos CEO Suzanne Connolly said placing pressure on parents to pay the fee effects both the child and parent psychologically. 

“They feel under pressure to contribute and that when they aren't able to because their financial circumstances, they feel that their child is aware of that,” she said. 

She echoed Ms Preissner’s thoughts that schools must be more transparent about mandatory and voluntary financial contributions.