5 December 2017
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork North Central Solidarity TD Mick Barry this morning called for an end to state subsidies for private fee-paying secondary schools.
His call came as fresh information was released today showing that all five of the top five schools in the state for the proportion of students going on to third level were fee-paying schools.
File photo of Deputy Mick Barry speaking on a different matter in the Dail
The IRISH TIMES Annual Feeder Schools Supplement also showed that 10 of the top 20 schools for the proportion of students going on to third level were fee-paying.
Presentation College in the Mardyke was ranked number 5 on the list while Christian Brothers College, Wellington Rd, was ranked number 9.
Deputy Barry said this morning: “It is bad enough that parents with more money can buy a better education and a better start in life for their children without having that arrangement subsidised by the state. I see no reason why the parents of children who go to state schools should be subsidising the education purchased by parents whose children are benefitting from a private arrangement. State funding for private fee-paying secondary schools should be ended and the money used instead to improve the state schools used by the majority of the population.”
It is estimated that 115m euro in taxpayers money was used in 2013 to subsidise the private fee-paying secondary school sector.
It is also estimated that children going to private fee-paying secondary schools are five times more likely to go to third level than children from state schools in so-called disadvantaged areas.
