Parents Also Face Subscriptions to the School's Chosen Parental App on Their Own Phones to Keep Up With Notices in Ireland

Sending a single secondary schoolchild back to school in Ireland can cost parents more than €1,000, according to consumer affairs correspondent and Pricewatch editor Conor Pope. Speaking on The Irish Times' Better with Money podcast, Pope said multiple surveys show parents of secondary schoolchildren can expect to spend in excess of €1,000 on back-to-school costs, while a primary schoolchild will cost more than €500. "And that's for one child, so if you've got a couple of kids in secondary school and maybe another child in primary school, you're looking at a spend around this time of year of €2,500, which is an after-tax figure, Pope said. "So for most parents, they'd have to earn five grand to cover that cost, and that's why we talk about this every single year.

Despite the introduction of free schoolbooks in 2023, costs have shifted to other areas. Older children are now required to have digital devices in their backpacks, along with various apps that must be downloaded onto these tablets. Parents also face subscriptions to the school's chosen parental app on their own phones to keep up with notices.

Additional expenses include school uniforms, PE kits, new shoes, and backpacks, which the podcast host noted can be surprisingly pricey. Extracurricular activities add to the burden, with the host citing a €155 fee for one term of gymnastics for her eldest child. Pope offered practical advice for reducing costs: auditing what you already have, checking eligibility for the back-to-school allowance, and, where possible, saving €20 a week between the end of January and August. He also recommended investing in a label-maker to prevent the loss of new coats before the end of September.