By Sean Murphy
CRIPPLING back-to-school costs can be helped if people stick together, it is claimed.
A politician who helped to spearhead a hugely successful uniform swap initiative has said it could be rolled out county-wide.
Cllr Gary Doherty is Donegal council cathaoirleach and told the Donegal News the idea could help families across the county.
He said: “We ran the uniform swap for two years and it was a great help to parents.
“There was significant community buy-in. This could work for the whole county.”
The uniform swap was held solely in Castlefin in 2023 and 2024.
New cathaoirleach Cllr Gary Doherty. Photo Donegal County Council.
But Cllr Doherty believes it can have a wider role and said: “People donated lots of uniforms and a lot of families were helped.
“Our initiative was in Castlefin but other areas could do it, too. It could be a county-wide initiative.
“School uniforms vary locally, with different areas needing donations of different uniforms.
“A county-wide scheme in each of the council’s five municipal districts would be great for the council to take on.
“It takes a large team of volunteers. Its success is seen in the help it gives to parents.
“Throughout the summer some are worried about back-to-school costs and the cost-of-living crisis has made things harder than ever with expenses like fuel.
“If communities can help each other that would help families with back-to-school costs.”
A scene from the school uniform swap in Castlefin.
The St Vincent de Paul charity recently told the Donegal News that back-to-school costs have never been harder for families.
With only weeks left of the school summer holidays, its regional president Rosa Glacken outlined how hidden costs and worrying energy arrears meant parents were under unprecedented levels of pressure due to the unrelenting cost-of-living crisis, putting some families on the brink of breaking point.
As well as annual uniform costs, shoes, schoolbags, stationery, schools’ voluntary charges, transport, crèche and after-school fees, families are also challenged by crippling car fuel costs, energy bills like electricity, fears for home heating oil prices as summer ends, mortgages and rent, and still rising grocery prices with no reprieve in sight for an end to the cost-of-living crisis.
Ms Glacken told the Donegal News: “Back-to-school costs together with several other challenges linked to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis make this year even more difficult.
“There are so many hidden costs and parents are under pressure. I would advise them to reach out, get in touch with us, if they need help.”
A recent study by the Irish League of Credit Unions on the financial burden of sending kids back to school showed that 25 per cent if households will get into debt before schools reopen.
It calculated that average back-to-school expenses are €1,607 for primary school and €2,142 for secondary school across the full academic year.
The Society of St Vincent de Paul can be reached through its svp.ie website.