Sir, – You report that it costs an extraordinary €1,195 to send a child back to primary school (“Ireland’s €1,518 ‘free’ education: Is there a better way than the current system?”, Education, Analysis, August 30th). It is a pity that you relied on data from a press release by the Irish League of Credit Unions without a critical questioning of that data.
Had you done so you would have discovered that included in this €1,195 is €149 for lunches.
Do these children not eat lunch during the summer?
After-school care is included at €184.
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But minding a child for two hours after school must be less expensive than minding one for a full day during the summer, so surely there is a net saving involved here?
Even the inclusion of shoes (€70) is questionable, as it suggests that were it not for going back to school, growing children would never need new shoes. – Yours, etc,
DAVID FITZGERALD,
Dundrum,
Dublin 14.