Primary school funding crisis deepens

A growing number of Irish primary schools are on the brink of financial collapse, with the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA) reporting an unprecedented surge in emergency funding requests. School costs have soared by up to 70% since 2019—driven by spikes in cleaning, utilities, and insurance—yet the standard capitation grant remains pegged to 2008 levels.

Despite one-off cost-of-living supports and a modest bump to €224 per pupil promised for next year, school leaders warn it’s nowhere near enough. Principals describe resorting to parent donations and even plastic bottle recycling schemes to fund basic operations. From urban DEIS schools to large rural institutions, the message is clear: without urgent intervention, more schools could face closure—or pass the burden to families.

For association leaders, this is more than a funding issue. It’s a reckoning with a system under stress, where the most vulnerable institutions are ringing the alarm.

Read the full article to understand how associations must respond to growing pressure across the education sector.