Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013
101. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether it is appropriate for schools to request payment of a registration fee every year; and the measures he proposes to deal with this situation. [50116/13]
View answer127. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the changes that will be made by his Department through legislation and guidelines to admissions policies in primary and post-primary schools here. [50102/13]
View answerI am aware the Minister is bringing in a new enrolment policy to synchronise things across the system. This question relates to where parents are asked to pay money upon registering their children, not necessarily in terms of enrolling them but for subsequent years. Does the Minister have any plans to deal with that?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 127 together.
Recognised schools in the free education scheme have teaching resources and other funding allocated to them on a different basis from those schools that charge fees. Continued eligibility for such funding arrangements are contingent on a school not requiring mandatory fees or payments from existing pupils or from those seeking admission to the school. Therefore, it is inappropriate and contrary to my Department's requirements that a recognised school, other than a recognised fee-charging school, would require payment of a yearly registration fee as a condition of continued enrolment in that school. This is an issue that is addressed in the recently published draft legislation before the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection which will regulate these matters in a manner that has not been the case. This framework also seeks to improve the admissions process and ensure the way schools decide on applications is structured, fair and transparent.
I thank the Minister for his response. The statement was very strong. It is the case that a number of a schools are operating quite a skilful approach in a letter which appears to state that parents must register sons and daughters by a certain date and that there is a fee attached in a way that essentially blackmails or compels them to pay the money or where they feel compelled to pay the money. The way the Minister clarified it here can be of benefit to those parents who do not want to go along with that type of approach in these austere times.
Schools are entitled to a voluntary contribution and many parents are happy to pay it if they are in a position to do so. Of the 730 post-primary schools, only 55 are fee charging. There are no proposals to increase this number. In fact, inquiries are being made by some fee-charging schools as to whether they will enter the free education scheme. Under no circumstances can a school in the mainstream, non-fee-charging sector where it receives money from the Department - taxpayers' money, not the Department's money - charge compulsory contributions or fees of whatever kind.
