To think that €80 for school books for a FOUR year old is a bit much.

[BarbieLovesKen]

Just a rant really, I know we're all in the same boat but for God's sake!!. DD is starting school in September, got her book list yesterday. Got all her books (exactly €79) and further €65 for her uniform today.

Havent got school bag, school shoes etc yet.

€20 for photocopying to school for the year and €20 for arts and crafts for the year.

Probably the norm for most of you and well used to this, but forgive my being so naive - shes my first to start school so I never realised before.

Feeling really sorry for all of those with more than one to send to school this year - not to mention the older children. Bit shocked really!!! blah..

Another Irish mumsnetter here. Amazed to see the cost of a 4 year olds books. DD1 won't be starting school til Sept '11 so haven't had this yet.

Medical expenses are really tough on us. DD1 is asthmatic and on inhalers and also takes Singulair which costs €60 a month alone, not to mention the inhalers, antibiotics and steroids when she is sick. It is never quite enough to make us eligible for the Drug Payment Scheme and have been refused a medical card.

We pay private health cover which is good for when she is admitted. We went for a plan that allows us to claim back GP visits but it is expensive month by month.

The hospital have said we can take her straight in when she has an attack but then if she isn't admitted over night we have to pay the levy. At least if we go to the doctor first it costs €45 we can claim back and get a referral letter for the hospital.

Suiledonne, we are the same, we were refused a medical card even though we are a single income family, can't even get the GP only one. I must look into the DPS again, we may save a bit with that.

Maryz, we have VC and fundraising! In the last month we have had a sponsored walk, summer fair and end of term raffle, at least another 60E. I feel like I'm heamoraging money these days. I mind a friends dd part-time and everything I earn goes towards these extra school and health expenses. I'm going back to college in September and don't want to think about how we will manage then.

I'm gobsmacked at the thread!

I'm in Ireland and have never paid for school (oldest is going into 3rd class). WE pay about 20 or 30 euro (can't remember) for photocopying.
School tours etc are subsidised.
Free lunches and drinks are provided (lunch box type food, not hot meals), for both little break and lunchtime.

I've always had a medical card (threshold seems to be decent as I've never been at risk of losing it), so thankfully have been spared the cost of GP/hospital.

OP-how long will the books last?

You mentioned that one is for 3yrs.

Where are you KnickKnack? Free meals? Never heard of that. Where do your children get their textbooks from?

New book list every year on the whole, diddl.

That really is a lot, isn´t it?

We have to buy exercise books, crayons etc, text books that the children write in-usually €7,95, the occasional reading book-also about €7,95 and €10 per half year for art stuff and odds & sods-and I thought we were hard done by!

(Remembers own school days when I think everything bar pencils/crayons, pencil case & school bag were supplied)

seems a bit much but I do keep hearing that the education system in Ireland is very good (have no personal exp of it so couldn't say). Is that any consolation?

[shick] I'm so not moving to Ireland!

Looking again at the list, the price per book maybe isn´t that much-it´s the quantity!

Here text books are also provided by the school-obviously on the proviso that if your child ruins a book you replace it.

Gosh that is really awful-no one at state school in Eng/Scot/Wales pays for books.Not sure about NI though.I didnt know you paid for GP either.I was on holiday in Dingle last year and had to see a GP re a chest infection.I didnt have my EHIC with me but he didnt charge me-I just had to pay for antibx.

I am honestly in shock reading this thread, it costs so much to live in Ireland

RunnyB I'm in Donegal. Readers and other text are used looking and I guess are passed from one year to the next. Workbooks are new, they come via school, in fact they usually stay in school and only arrive at home when completed (I think! School is finished and I've put it all out of my mind ). Lots of photocopies used (I guess from other workbooks? or from online sources?).
Lunch is free (and optional, take all or part of it, or bring your own). They have plenty to choose from...various breads, fillings, dairy snacks, fruit, drink. They choose 1 thing from each "group". Milk is an optional extra, 10 euro or so per term.

I'm in Ireland too - Dublin, in may we had to pay €150 to secure DD's school place & her book list was €79 & PE & art&crafts an extra €43
but at least the €150 deposit will cover the schools voluntary fund donation . Ds is going into 6Th class in Sept & his book list is €164 then €36 for PE & arts&crafts etc
i have just bought their uniforms this morning in Dunne's & that came to €106 but i still need to buy their school crest tracksuits & they are €35 each ... the list is endless . DD has eczema & her hospital consultant asked me to buy her a special order cotton uniform but its far too expensive so i am going to try find a pure cotton blouse in pale blue so the woolen jumper does not effect her skin .

I have 3 to kit out for school.

trousers for 2
skirts for 1
polo tops for 1
blouses for 1
shirts for 1
2 ties
plimsols x 3
school shoes x3
book bag x 1
rucksack x 1
water bottles for 3
jumpers for 3
milk for 2
swimming lessons for 1
piano lessons for 1
£30 per eek for school dinners

Milk is free until they are 5.
No books or art work to pay for but there are the voluntary contributions for day trips, £140 for a 2 nights away trip, dress up days so sometimes things to buy for that.

Another Irish MNer. My dd13 has Downs and qualifies for a medical card, therefore we pay no medical bills or book bills for her. We pay €50 twice a year for art, drama etc but that's it. We also pay for school tours, swimming, music, cycle sense class etc. Uniform will cost about €50

Ds9 got his book list yesterday €80 also. Uniform €100, various admin about €75 per term. VC €10 a month.

There is a Back to School allowance that parents on benefits qualify for. Up to 12 years €200 and over 12s €310.

When I was at school in the 70s/80s there was a book scheme for hardship cases too, but it wasn't great.

Diddl, the books last one year.

i am really surprised by this. I am a teacher in England and have 3 school children. They have never have to pay for this - just voluntary contributions to school trips.

BarbieLovesKen, do you qualify for the back to school allowance? I will try and link to the form for you.

I have applied. I got it the last two years but I don't know about this year. The country's economy is down the leitris. But touch wood.

Oh I'm sorry, the BTSA has already been mentioned. Yes the UK is a great country. Free school books, NHS, prescriptions never more than a fixed amount. Buses and trains that run on time!!!!!! I might move to the north of England because lots of it is cheaper than south dublin anyway.

I never knew Ireland was like this. Both my parents are Irish but I am English. All my family (except immediate) live in Ireland. We have been there on holiday a fair few times.

I can't believe you have to pay for all those things, especially the medical expenses. I have heard though that the benefit system is quite good. My dad told me the amount that people get for Job Seeker's allowance, I can' remember what it was but it was a lot.

I don't think its possible to compare living in Ireland with living in the UK though. We pay for medical care and bins, but we don't pay council tax or water rates. The benefits system is massively generous, much higher rates of dole/child benefit etc. Those on lowish incomes get free medical care, back to school allowance etc.
Its all swings and roundabouts, I've lived in Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and its 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

I agree you can't easily compare living in different countries. There are positives and negatives everywhere.

Yes, the benefit system in Ireland is good but I think life is quite difficult for families who are just above the thresholds for different things.

My DH is self-employed. I am a SAHM - made redundant from 2 different companies within 3 years. We have 2 children.

We do not qualify for any assistance at all. My dd1 has asthma/eczema/allergies and we have regular GP and consultant visits and prescriptions. We pay a hefty private insurance fee as we couldn't rely on the public system to get dd the help she needed in a timely manner.

We pay into a pension for DH, Life Insurance for us both etc etc etc. Sometimes I wonder how we manage with all the outgoings every month.

We may not pay council tax but we have expensive refuse rates and as I understand it we will soon be paying water charges.

The Children's Allowance is good but there are no tax breaks in the system for children which there were in the past.

I'm not familar with the English system at all. It seems complicated with Tax Credits etc but it seems that all that may well add up to what we have in the CA.

I know that all sounded like one big moan but actually I love many things about Ireland and wouldn't consider emigrating.

Northern Ireland mumster here!! My dd has just finished P1-loved it, we didn't pay for any books, she did music, pe, irish, maths, reading, art etc, her uniform came from Asda/Tescos etc, just shorts and t-shirts for pe- if you don't mind me asking is it a faith school?, because if it is its absolutely ridiculous you have to pay.