I was glad to see the government’s u-turn on water charges for primary schools but there are still a number of questions that need to be answered. While the exact situation is not yet completely clarified, we understand from the Taoiseach’s own statement that the government will examine the whole issue of charging schools for water and the EU directive at their meeting in early January.

At that stage, hopefully, the government will clarify the situation in respect of how the proposed flat charge will be arrived at for schools of different sizes. Also the government will need to clarify whether or not they will be willing to refund schools which may have already paid water charges.

This whole fiasco on the charges has been an unnecessary distraction for school principals and Boards of Management already struggling in Dublin West with large class sizes, temporary accommodation and prefabs, and the whole uncertainty about children unable to gain a place in school. It is not acceptable that this confusion between various government ministers is adding to the difficulties of a school system already under enormous strain in areas like Dublin West and Dublin North.

In the recent budget, despite the promises in the Programme for Government, primary education did not do well. The failure to raise capitation levels to what was promised, the abolition of the Summer Works Scheme and the abandonment of the solemn promise to reduce class sizes all created further difficulties for schools in the growing areas of Dublin West and Dublin North. The water charges fiasco simply added to this burden.