Sir, – Séamus White's claim that the "underlying ethos of fee-paying schools is that they allow some parents to buy their children advantages over other children" is extraordinary (Letters, December 29th).
Historically, fee-paying schools are those which did not opt into the free fees scheme announced by the minister for education in 1966. These schools decided not to opt into this scheme so as to continue to meet operational costs. Such schools save the taxpayer significantly. Every year over 25,000 students attend such schools, the majority of whom would otherwise have to be enrolled in schools fully funded by the State. It should be noted that within the fee-paying sector thousands of students receive grants or bursaries every year to make it possible to attend their school.
Exclusivity can be linked to schools in every sector, not just those which are fee-paying. – Yours, etc,
KIERAN SPARLING,
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Corbally,
Limerick.