A Government TD has said the State should move away from giving taxpayers’ money to financially support private schools as he believes it encourages social segregation.
Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe has said he accepts parents' choices but essentially the State is “condoning social segregation” by funding the fee paying schools.
A report last year revealed taxpayer’s subsidised the State’s 51 fee-paying schools by more than €100 million in 2020.
Latest enrolment figures show there are 25,800 students attending private schools in the country - the highest number recorded.
TD for Dublin North West, Paul McAuliffe said he was “struck” by a radio advertisement by a school that was looking for students to enrol.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror he said: “It just struck me that the school had the ability to advertise on radio for students and I have disadvantaged schools in my area that are struggling to retain students.
“My view is, and I’m saying this because I’m representing an area that desperately needs resources and perhaps more resources than other areas, I’m saying that money should be spent in our public system.
“I accept parent’s choice and ethos but ultimately what happens is the fee-paying bit - it’s the State facilitating or condoning social segregation.
“That’s what it is, they’re basically paying so they are mixing with a particular income group of children.”
Mr McAuliffe who is his party’s spokesman for local Government said the Government needs to “set about a policy that says overtime we need to address how we fund them and what the policy is.”
He said: “I can’t find the answer to what a fee paying school does other than social segregation.
“They will say it provides better sporting facilities, it provides lower teacher - pupil ratios.
“Yes it does but should the State be complicit with supporting that for some people but not for others?
“I don’t see the State having a role in providing a better education for people who have a better income.
“And is the money that the State is putting into it, could that be spent elsewhere in our education system that could make it a better education system for everybody?”
