'Free education should mean free' - Parents face huge costs for digital devices

As parents face costs that go into the thousands for digital devices, People Before Profit Councillor Hazel De Nortúin calls for all essential school books, equipment and digital devices to be provided free by the State

Add to preferred sources News Stephen Holland Local Democracy Reporter 17:28, 03 Sep 2026 View Image Child sits on a tablet and uses a learning app (Image: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

Parents are facing unmanageable extra costs as schools request they purchase digital devices for their children priced at over €500 each.

People Before Profit Councillor Hazel De Nortúin has called for an end to the growing cost of digital devices and other school expenses being pushed onto parents . She is calling for all essential school books, equipment and digital devices to be provided free by the State and that no child’s access to education depend on their families ability to pay.

As a mother with three school-aged children, Cllr De Nortúin herself has been asked to purchase a new digital device for one of her children as they begin senior cycle in secondary school. The device recommended costs €513.

The Ballyfermot-Drimnagh rep explained that parents who cannot afford to pay upfront can take up a 36-month credit arrangement. Under the payment option seen by Cllr De Nortúin, the total amount repayable rises to €658.97, including €146 in fees.

“Back to school is already one of the most expensive times of the year for families. There are uniforms, bags, school trips and all the other costs that come with September. Now hundreds of euro for digital devices are being added to that list,” she said.

“One parent I spoke to has three children who have been asked to buy tablets for school. This means €1,500 to €2,000 extra spending on school on the shoulders of one family.

“It's outrageous and what is worse is that there's no clarity on what happens when parents can't afford to pay. Does their child go without and end up excluded from part of their education? Are they singled out and noticed by peers who have the devices?”

Barnardos’ 2026 Back to School Survey found that 57% of secondary school parents were required to pay for digital devices, at an average cost of €447. Separate Barnardos research found that 44% of parents had skipped meals or reduced portion sizes so their children would have enough to eat.

Cllr De Nortúin stated that “education should be genuinely free” and that if a child needs a device for their schoolwork the onus is on the State to provide it. “We should not have a situation where the underfunding of education shifts costs onto parents,” she said.

“We definitely should not be seeing private, for-profit companies brought in to sell or finance essential educational equipment. A child’s education should never depend on what their parents can afford.”

The introduction of free school books for children was seen as a positive step forward after years of hard won campaigning by parents and activists, but Cllr De Nortúin stressed that these new pressures placed on parents are “a step backwards”. She said that education in Ireland is free “in name only,” as struggling parents end up paying hundreds or even thousands for the things their children need to participate.

Cllr De Nortúin said she will be reaching out to other parents and campaigning on the issue, linking the cost of education to the wider pressure families are facing from food, energy, fuel, housing and other household costs. She encourages parents and families to join the Affordable Ireland Campaign pre-Budget demonstration at 1pm on Saturday September 19 in Dublin city centre.

“Families are being squeezed from every direction. We need a budget that actually brings down the cost of living and takes these pressures off people. We need thousands out on September 19th to put pressure on the Government before the Budget,” she said.

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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