The number of parents resorting to loans to cover back-to-school expenses has tripled since last year, according to a recent survey, reports The Mirror.
Around 12 per cent of parents are now relying on loans to pay for school supplies for their children, a sharp increase from 4 per cent the previous year. The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) reported a general rise in school-related expenses this coming September compared to 2024.
Additionally, one in three parents admitted they will find themselves in debt because of the financial burden of back-to-school shopping. On average, parents of primary school children will spend €1,450, while those with kids in secondary school will face costs of €1,560, reports The Mirror.
This marks an increase of €364 for primary school parents and €159 more for secondary school parents when compared to last year. Among the 730 parents surveyed, a third said they expect to go into debt over these costs, up from one in four last year.
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About 35 per cent of parents surveyed said they’ve had to withhold at least one essential school item from their children. New gym gear was the most commonly skipped purchase, with half of all parents saying they were likely to leave it out, reports The Mirror.
Sinn Féin’s Education spokesperson Darren O’Rourke has urged the government to roll out a cost-of-living support package in the upcoming Budget to help ease the pressure on struggling families.
He said: “This survey undertaken by the ILCU found that one in three families will be forced into debt to send their children back to school this Autumn. This is shocking and shows the stark reality of the cost-of-living crisis. To add pressure to parent’s financial strains, the ILCU survey also found that 78 per cent of schools ask for a so-called ‘voluntary’ contribution. These are often an essential measure for schools to make ends meet and to fill the ever increasing gap in government funding, estimated to be in the region of €25,000 per primary school. It is time for this government to acknowledge the cost-of-living crisis and to respond to it with a cost-of-living package. In relation to schools, they point to free school books and hot school meals. While definitely welcome, it’s clear these measures do not go far enough to protect families from the increasing costs of education,” reports The Mirror.
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