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Over 250 parents contacted SVP every day last week about back-to-school costs

The charity is “hopeful” that the Government will make school books free at secondary level in the upcoming Budget.

THE SOCIETY OF ST Vincent de Paul (SVP) has said that it received calls from more than 250 parents every day last week about back-to-school costs, as it urged the Government to make schoolbooks for secondary school students free in the upcoming Budget. 

The charity said that almost 60% of these calls came from one-parent families, adding that requests for parent contributions and high costs involved at secondary school continue to pile the pressure on parents.

It acknowledged that the free primary school books scheme and the temporary €100 increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) is having a positive impact on costs for parents of primary school children.

The charity said it is hopeful that the Government will introduce measures in the upcoming Budget that will make schoolbooks free at secondary level.

Calls for help with back-to-school costs to SVP’s regional office were down 20% this summer. However, there has been an overall rise in calls to the charity by 14% this year. 

It said it has received over 135,000 calls so far this year and has seen a rise in requests for help with food and energy bills. 

SVP national president Rose McGowan said the charity has seen how free schoolbooks are making a positive difference for families.

“In my own experience and reflected in our data, more families are just about able to manage primary school costs, but requests for ‘voluntary’ contributions are still coming to families and for those with older children the costs are too much to bear,” she said.

We have taken calls from parents who have to pay €600 for an iPad and sometimes they are also asked to pay another €200 for books. The high cost of transition year is increasingly an issue as well.

In May, a report published by St Vincent de Paul indicated that parents feel under pressure to pay the voluntary charge, with 87% responding to say they had to cut back or delay their spending in order to do so.

The report found that the voluntary contributions ranged from €30 to €550 per child, with an average of €140 per child across all school types.

Speaking earlier this month, Education Minister Norma Foley said that no parent can be compelled to pay a voluntary contribution to a school.

McGowan said the progress at primary level shows the Government can implement measures in Budget 2024 to make “a long-term impact on educational inequalities”.

Dr Tricia Keilthy, head of social justice and policy at SVP, said: “Making school books free at secondary level is a priority for the new Child Poverty and Well-Being Office in the Department of An Taoiseach, so we are really hopeful that the Budget in October will deliver on this commitment.”

“As our report published in May of this year shows, requests for parent contributions from schools places unnecessary pressure on families. We need to see an end to this unfair system through adequate capitation grants to schools.”

Keilthy also called on the €100 increase in the Back to School Allowance to be retained and the thresholds increased “to allow more low-income working families to access the payment”.

“Retaining Child Benefit for young people over the age of 18 and still in school would also make a big difference to families supporting their children through the expensive Leaving Cert year,” she added.

“While the progress on education costs is to be commended, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis has not abated as calls overall are still up 14%.

“The next Budget must have a sustained focus on tackling poverty, particularly with targeted measures for those most at risk of hardship, including one-parent families, families with older children, and people with disabilities.”

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    Mute Keith Hoare
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:21 PM

    FF really have lost it.

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    Mute alan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:15 PM

    proving once again why FF have found their natural home in opposition

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    Mute Richard O'Callaghan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:21 PM

    Was Fleming drunk in charge of a TD’s brain?

    96
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    Mute Reg
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:44 PM

    Fleming doesn’t have a brain.

    70
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    Mute Billy Grennan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:59 PM

    He doesn’t have much of a brain and less ethics but FF have to clutch to any straw now

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:02 PM

    One can see that the Fleming Calf learnt well from the Fleming Bull. Sure he had no chance I suppose.

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    Mute Richard O'Callaghan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:26 PM

    From Wikipedia

    “Seán Fleming (born 1 February 1958) is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency.

    An accountant, educated at University College Dublin, Fleming was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1997 general election and retained his seat at the 2002 and 2007 general elections. He was formerly Financial Director of Fianna Fáil at national level.”

    Would he have been a Financial Director of Fianna Fail at the same time that Mr Gallagher was a celebrity fundraiser for Fianna Fail?

    By Fleming’s logic he probably should not have been asking the questions!!!

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:54 PM

    So Sean F. was a financial director of FF. God I’d say he has seen some quare things in his time in that job. I once worked with a man from New York, that worked as a book keeper in a Hells Angels club, he had some great stories.

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    Mute Geraldine O'Connor
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    Mar 8th 2012, 7:03 PM

    FF TDs from Offaly with financial background – sounds familiar

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Mar 8th 2012, 9:07 PM

    He’s from Laois Geraldine, and Cowen (to whom i assume you mean) was a solicitor.

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    Mute Geraldine O'Connor
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    Mar 8th 2012, 9:22 PM

    TD for Laois/Offaly. Minister for fin (unfortunately).

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    Mute Alan McEvoy
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:21 PM

    Gallagher would not have won anyway. The tweet is a nice diversion from that fact.

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    Mute Michael Buckley
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:37 PM

    Higgins non stop work since the election !

    45
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    Mute John Manahan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:31 PM

    FF clutching at straws, as usual. Is this kind of nonsense what they meant by ‘renewal’ at their conference last weekend ??!!

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    Mute John McCormack
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:18 PM

    ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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    Mute limofax
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:02 PM

    FF sink to a new low.

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:14 PM

    Don’t say that, they’ll only accept it as a challenge.

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    Mute Alan McBride
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:54 PM

    I dont really understand what all the fuss is over this tweet. If it had been untrue then yes but it wasn’t.

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    Mute Mark Power
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:53 PM

    Are you telling me Rabbitte wouldn’t have done this from the opposition benches I am delighted he was made to feel uncomfortable after his disgraceful attack on Pat Carey

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:59 PM

    How was the attack on Pat Carey disgraceful. Most people felt that is he had called him a traitor, that it would still have been justifiable. I can guarantee that that was the word going through the minds of most houses in Ireland, as they watched, Carey, Lenihan, Cowen and the rest of the party faithful that weekend.

    For people, not familiar with the context it is the weekend that Biffo and Bozo Lenihan and the rest of FF hand over the keys of the state to the IMF. Naturally Pat Rabbitte was sickened to have to sit beside one of the men who made it so.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2sioK9Fcek

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:12 PM

    I just watched that video once more. Carey couldn’t have cared less that the country was bankrupt and the IMF in charge, he didn’t bat an eye at it. How can people like him, have so little concern for or pride in their country, how can people defend men like him. Desperate excuse for an Irish man, though it sickens me to state that he is an Irishman.

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    Mute GR
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    Mar 8th 2012, 7:05 PM

    TWAS THE ENVELOPE THAT DID IT

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    Mute conor hickey
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:19 PM

    Caught in the headlights on this one.

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    Mute Brian Daly
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:30 PM

    Does Flemming know what’s going on at all around him? The investigation was by the BAI (and I presume RTE as well). Rabitte had little else to do with it other than read the report like the rest of us. He really needs to read up on this stuff before he addresses the Dail.

    The nature of the event i.e. bad editorial/researching by RTE wouldn’t merit anything more than a BAI investigation which reached the correct outcome. RTE were wrong and are to apologise. They were very wrong. However, Gallaghers response on the night was what probably cost him the election. While the text was unfair, he dug his own hole.

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    Mute Mark Neville
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    Mar 8th 2012, 7:01 PM

    Ah yes. FF trying their best to help out the “independent, FF many many moons ago but not now!” candidate. The Old Boys Brigade out in force again.

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    Mute Hugh O Connell
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    Mar 8th 2012, 5:59 PM

    Who framed Roger Rabbitte !!!!!!!!

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    Mute Mark Neville
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    Mar 8th 2012, 11:15 PM

    I’m sick to my back teeth of FF whinging about “Ooooh the nasty media arecout to get us”. If Gallagher had been up front about his activities in FF and the extent to which he was linked to the FF party then he wouldn’t have had to try to dodge awkward questions all through the campaign. It was another case of FF cute hoorism in trying to get their man through the back door by portrying him as an independent and when the public realised the extent of his involvement and the shady nature of his typical FF style campaign they gave him the two fingers like they did to the party in the general election. He was about as independent as Wales.

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    Mute DubInNaas
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    Mar 8th 2012, 11:52 PM

    Now thats a good comment !!

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    Mute Mark Power
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    Mar 8th 2012, 7:33 PM

    There was no need to tweet this lie with all the ink they have they could have sent every voter a letter

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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Mar 8th 2012, 8:11 PM

    I think your FF brain is a little confused Mark. This is a scrap between Fianna Fail and Labour party. Lol

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    Mute Dearbhla Carmody
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:19 PM

    Sean fleming has been studying footage of rabbitte in opposition. :-)

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:24 PM

    I’m not a fan of Rabbitte but lets just say I’d still prefer to live further away from the Flemings, and I’m 35 miles away.

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    Mute Robert Duggan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 7:27 PM

    Was the election valid if the major vote swing was based on a lie?

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    Mute Ross
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    Mar 8th 2012, 8:08 PM

    How was it a lie??. Gallagher was up to his neck in FF Fundraising and his business and accounting practices reeked of FF as well.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Mar 8th 2012, 9:52 PM

    Was the election result valid due to a major vote swing based on the exposure of a liar?

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    Mute Mark Power
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:36 PM

    I suppose this is coming from his “so called ” red background controlling the media is one of their favourite pastimes ….

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    Mute foggy_lad
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:55 PM

    Better a red than a deadbeat fianna failure of a politician!

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    Mute Julian King
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    Mar 8th 2012, 10:35 PM

    Pat Rabitte is one of the few politicians I actually like.

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    Mute Declan Flanagan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:34 PM

    Pat rabbitte minister for communications RTE deficit 34million do something you dope,Fleming your an idiot just like the rest up there in that hole dail eireann,Ireland is sinking and fast coincidentally enda Kenny seeks 5,000 new jobs on the same day AIB ruin the lives of 2,500 others the whole of Dail eireann should go up and watch the Northern lights tonight

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    Mute Dearbhla Carmody
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:23 PM

    Fleming has been studying footage of rabbitte in opposition. Pair of idiots.

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    Mute DubInNaas
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    Mar 8th 2012, 9:47 PM

    I think you mean MINISTER Rabbitte…

    Please understand that there are standards in journalism that apply to ‘the journal’ as they do to others

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    Mute XaTylH9A
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    Mar 8th 2012, 10:07 PM

    Are you saying his title should precede his name the whole way through?

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    Mute DubInNaas
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    Mar 8th 2012, 10:46 PM

    I can’t decide if your response is one of incredulity or enquiry.

    For casual joirnalism, use a first name at the very least, although the title is preferred

    If you look at your report, Minister Rabbitte himself refers to to his colleague as ‘Deputy’

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    Mute John Cleary
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    Mar 9th 2012, 12:18 AM

    I think you’ll find there are standards that apply to constructing a sentence, but that hasn’t stopped you from ignoring them.

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    Mute DubInNaas
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    Mar 9th 2012, 6:52 AM

    John,
    An obscure comment ?

    Perhaps you could elaborate …

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    Mute Mark Power
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    Mar 8th 2012, 10:01 PM

    The whole reason for this so called scrap was a bogus shinner tweet … So yes they are part of this

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    Mute Tom Godfrey
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    Mar 8th 2012, 10:39 PM

    Sounds like a story he picked up from the Dail bar and then went out to tell Rabbite to royal him up.

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    Mute Paul Connolly
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    Mar 9th 2012, 7:30 AM

    Someone should just put FF out of their misery

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    Mute William Grogan
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    Mar 8th 2012, 10:51 PM

    RTE is a socialist entity so I am a bit suspicious about this matter and its implications.

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    Mute Dearbhla Carmody
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    Mar 8th 2012, 6:26 PM

    Oops posted twice!

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    Mute Gwyn Morgan
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    Mar 9th 2012, 7:22 AM

    I had thought the innuendo was going to be probe related on reading the headline. Very disappointing

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