CPSMA WELCOMES LABOUR POSITION ON CAPITATION AND FREE BOOKS
28th June 2018 | Press Release
CPSMA WELCOMES LABOUR POSITION ON CAPITATION AND FREE BOOKS
Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) welcomes today’s commitment by Labour to real free primary education as per the guarantee in Article 42.4 of our Constitution.
CPSMA, because of our status as a front-line organization dealing with primary school issues, are intimately aware of the hidden and very open costs of primary Education for parents. We will examine with interest the Labour proposal that a free schoolbooks scheme be extended to all primary schools.
CPSMA also supports the declaration by Labour that it supports the full restoration of the capitation grant from the current level of €170 million Euros to €200 million Euros. This represents a valuable start in rebuilding our heavily burdened primary schools. We have spearheaded campaigning and research on this sensitive issue, which costs parents more than €46 million Euros per annum, according to figures secured by CPSMA.
Our long-term campaign means we support Labour’s declaration that; ‘’this is an outrageous situation, and is becoming an increasing burden for numerous families, many of whom are already struggling with day to day living costs, including high rents’’. Parents should not have to subsidize the state.
We welcome Labour’s declaration that; “Every child in the State should have equal access to a quality education and parents shouldn’t be burdened with hidden costs for the basic running of a school’’.
This has consistently been the CPSMA position.
For further information contact Seamus Mulconry
