Proposed:
That this Assembly notes the findings of the 2023 Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) survey on back to school costs which shows that 41 per cent of parents in this jurisdiction go into debt due to back to school costs, with the largest expense for parents being school uniforms; is deeply concerned that the high cost of school uniforms is a source of financial stress for many families; recognises that the support provided through the uniform grant locally is the lowest in these islands; believes that the benefits of school uniforms, is at risk of being undermined by unaffordable costs; calls on the Minister of Education to make school uniforms more affordable by introducing statutory guidance requiring schools to have competitive tendering processes, to remove the use of unnecessary branded items and to permit the use of cheaper high street alternatives; and further calls on the Minister to conclude the review into eligibility criteria for, and consider an increase in, the school uniform grant.
Mr Pat Sheehan
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mr Danny Baker