State pays €500 million to 51 fee paying schools over five years

Rockwell College. Photo © Tipp FM.

The state spent almost €3 million last year on the salaries of teachers at private schools in Tipperary.

In the space of five years nearly €500 million covered 51 fee-paying schools across the state.

The bill for last year was in excess of €104 million.

According to Freedom of Information figures the gross pay for teachers at Rockwell College near Cashel amounted to €1.952 million while at Cistercian College Roscrea the figure was €1.014 million Euro.

The Social Democrats education spokesman, Gary Gannon, is calling for the government to stop subsidising fee-paying schools.

“It is a choice for a parent if some have the means to go down a private route. But that should be done without the state stepping in and compensating to over €100 million.

“It’s an unfair system. It needs to be phased out – it hasn’t stood us well. Without question it has stood the children and the parents of those who are able to do that well but the state can’t continue to allow it to happen.”