Vol. 185 No. 7
asked the Minister for Education whether he will take steps to discourage the practice of compelling children attending particular schools to wear special school uniforms in view of the undue burden of cost which this practice imposes on the parents of such children.
65.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the fact that some schools require that the uniform for the children attending such schools be of a particular cloth purchasable at only one shop; and if he will take steps to stop this practice which adds to the cost of such uniforms and prevents mothers of such children purchasing cloth at reasonable prices to make the uniforms for their children at lesser cost.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together.
In regard to national schools, while it may be that in some schools the children are encouraged to wear special school uniforms, I am not aware that it is the practice in any national school to compel pupils to wear them. Such practice would be contrary to the official regulations for national schools. If any case of compulsion to wear uniforms in a national school is reported to me, I will have the matter investigated.
Secondary schools are private institutions and questions connected with fees, uniforms, etc. are matters between the conductors of the schools and the parents of the children concerned. I have no function in relation to them.
