Calls grow in Ireland to end voluntary parent contributions to schools

Calls have mounted for the Irish government to abolish voluntary contributions by fully funding schools, as the cost of running an educational institution has risen by an estimated 30 percent. The Irish Examiner reported that inflation for schools since 2010 has outstripped general inflation by more than 10 percent. [1]

Data from the children's charity Barnardos shows that the average voluntary contribution requested by schools for 2026 reached 83 euros in primary schools and 128 euros in post-primary schools. The Catholic Primary School Management Association stated that a significant gap remains between state funding and the actual operational costs faced by schools. [1]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, parents in Ireland paid over 116 million euros in voluntary contributions to schools over a five-year period between September 2020 and June 2025. The total recorded sum reached 116,609,799 euros, with more than 24.1 million euros collected in the 2024/25 school year alone. [1][7]