Plan by Barnados Children's Charity will be welcome news to many parents

According to Barnados Children's Charity, the cost of sending children to primary school is causing much concern among lower-income families and is something they want eliminated with the help of this year's Budget.

While there is no direct charge for sending a child to school, the additional costs which include transportation and voluntary contributions quickly accumulate leaving many parents struggling to make ends meet.

Estimating that it would cost €103 million to give every child in Ireland completely free education, the charity is calling on the government to allocate that sum in this year's Budget.

In an effort to alleviate the financial pressure, the charity has spoken out on behalf of parents who are facing financial difficulties, saying: "Every year we hear from parents forced to make impossible choices in order to fund their child’s education."

Explaining the motivation behind the proposal, Barnados' CEO, Fergus Finlay said: "The impact of an inclusive, supportive education system reaches far beyond school gates. It means all children, regardless of their background, are given the same opportunity to learn and thrive."

According to the charity, the elimination of voluntary contributions, which are known to vary between schools, would cost the Exchequer €42 million while school books are estimated at €20 million.