Books, stationery, uniforms, digital devices, 'voluntary contributions' - just a few of the items that parents have to pay for

I am a single parent of four children, three school-going. September is an awful month for my family, the pressure is immense. I work part time and do what I can with wages weekly - plus I pay €1000 private rent monthly.

We can't survive from week to week as it is and school costs hold me over the edge so much so that my teenagers ask if I want them to leave school. My children deserve the same opportunity as the next child.

HOW DO PARENTS PAY?

My rent has recently gone up by €150 monthly. We live from week to week. School time is a nightmare situation for me.

I receive Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and use savings which I would have specifically put aside for school but I would borrow the majority of money from family which leaves me in debt coming up to Christmas and this leaves me caught in a vicious circle of having to borrow again.

SCHOOL BOOKS

I GREW UP IN NORTHERN IRELAND WHERE SCHOOL BOOKS AND COPY BOOKS FREE. WHY CAN'T WE WORK TOWARDS THAT HERE?

USE OF WORKBOOKS IS CRAZY, I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN AND NONE OF THESE BOOKS CAN BE PASSED ON, THE BOOK RENTAL SCHEME ONLY COVERS ENGLISH READERS. I JUST PAID €127 FOR A SENIOR INFANT CHILD AND A FIRST CLASS CHILD'S BOOKS, NONE OF WHICH CAN BE REUSED AS THESE WORKBOOKS ARE FILLED IN.

SCHOOL UNIFORMS

I do agree with school uniforms, but parents should be allowed to buy generic uniforms and iron on crests. We had to choose between food on the table or him wearing a dirty jumper every day - I choose food.”

'VOLUNTARY' CONTRIBUTIONS

‘I have four children in secondary school and the voluntary contributions came to €960. I think it is an absolute disgrace that it costs this amount of money before I even buy a book or pencil or uniform.

DIGITAL DEVICES

MY SON NEEDS AN IPAD THIS YEAR. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD HELP COSTS FOR IT. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER & IT’S COSTING ME NEARLY €1,000 TO SEND JUST MY SON TO SECONDARY SCHOOL. I ALSO HAVE A DAUGHTER GOING INTO 3RD YEAR & A DAUGHTER GOING INTO 4TH CLASS TO PAY FOR. THIS IS SO STRESSFUL AND I'M FINDING IT HARD TO COPE BY MYSELF. I'VE NO ONE TO TURN TO.

TRANSPORT

The bus, which they have to use as we live over 4 miles from the school, costs €650 for the year. So my back to school allowance is gone before I even look at buying books and uniforms. An absolute scandal and money racket. No idea how I'm going to pay for it all this year without borrowing from family.