It’s claimed the cost of school trips is causing increasing strain for parents in Clare.
A concerned parent from the east of the county believes many families are being put “under huge pressure” each year to meet the cost of end-of-term activities.
Clare SVP is continuing to call for additioanl supports for parents.
As the school year draws to a close for primary and secondary schools, students across the county find themselves heading off on trips to wildlife parks, activity centres and various other attractions.
However, Feakle mother Claire Hogan has highlighted the financial pressure that these trips place on parents.
Independent research carried out by Claire reveals that the cost of primary school trips ranges from €35 to €120, with the average being €75.
The costs are even more daunting for secondary school trips with prices ranging from €600 to €1000 for larger-scale undertakings such as skiing holidays.
As June is already an expensive month for parents due to the likes of fees for school photos and presents for teachers, a large cohort of parents find themselves being forced to either cut costs in other areas or tell their children that they won’t be going on the highly-anticipated trip with their friends.
Claire says she was “shocked” when she became aware of some of the prices of trips.
The seemingly never-ending costs associated with education is not a new issue, with groups like Saint Vincent De Paul lobbying for greater supports for parents for a number of years.
Clare SVP President Denis Carty says he counters many parents struggling to meet even the most basic education-related costs.
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