Rockwell College, Cashel, Co. Tipperary could face penalties over the level of its charges to pupils, a Department of Education spokesperson has confirmed. The college which hosts some 500 boarding and day pupils is part of the free education scheme, the rules for which do not permit such schools to charge tuition fees or to conceal them under other educational categories.
Currently the Department of Education are engaging with the College Authorities, over concerns that fees paid by boarders and day pupils are above current approved guidelines.
A Department of Education circular states that if a school cannot demonstrate that the boarding fee is exclusively related to the economic cost of the boarding services provided, the school must either comply with the agreed limit laid down by the Department or be re-categorised for same funding purposes as a ‘fee-charging school.‘ Latter would result in the loss of all grant aid and other resources, which are presently unavailable to same fee paying schools.
The means that the Education Minister can withdraw state funding, where a collage is in breach of such stated requirements and indeed impose penalties, if current discussions, with the Department of Education, are not resolved fully under expressed concern issues now raised.
Meanwhile, Secondary school teachers are today urging the Government to rethink proposed cuts under the extension of the Croke Park Agreement. The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland are starting their four-day annual congress today in county Wexford, and they will urge their members to vote against this latest pay & conditions deal.
What! No charge for first class education.I can assure you here in Australia you would pay high sky fees for this type of education as we did for our Son.Oh boy we were slow off the mark.