Irish parents paid 116 million euros in voluntary school contributions

Parents funded the education system in Ireland by paying more than 116 million euros in voluntary school contributions over five years, according to the Irish Examiner. Figures indicate that schools recorded total receipts of 116,609,799 euros between September 2020 and June 2025. [1]

The payments included more than 24.1 million euros collected during the 2024 to 2025 school year alone, the Irish Examiner reported. The substantial total spending figure was also reported by BreakingNews.ie. [1][2]

The large spend by families has again prompted public questions about how the Irish education system can be described as free, the Irish Examiner reported. The situation has resulted in renewed demands for the Irish Government to properly fund schools directly. [1]