DUBLIN, Ireland–A new survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) has found the money needed to get youngsters ready for the new term in August and September has soared since 2012.
According to the ILCU, it now costs on average 967 euro to send a child back to primary school and 1,474 euro for secondary.
And three quarters of parents told researchers they do not think schools are doing enough to keep costs down, the survey found.
The credit union research found escalating price tags are run up on new uniforms and gym gear at an average of 257 euro a child, the so-called voluntary contribution to the school at about 113 euro and books at 145 euro.
Additional expenses include after-school care, extracurricular classes, lunches, school trips and transport.
The most expensive items on the list were uniforms for secondary school children at an average of 234 euro, according to the Irish League.
Ed Farrell, chief executive of the ILCU, urged people to properly assess what they need, set a budget and stick to it.
"While it can be tedious, we would urge parents to shop around for the best value deals," he said in a statement. "Many of the major retailers will offer fantastic deals on uniforms and school supplies."
Farrell urged Ireland’s citizens to avoid money-lenders for school-related costs, although the survey found 14% said they had used such lenders in the past.
The credit union survey found almost one third of parents get themselves into debt trying to pay the bills.
On average parents borrowed 357 euro, down slightly from last year by three euro.
The survey of 1,000 adults in June also found two thirds of parents saying they sacrifice a family holiday to meet the costs. Thirteen percent of parents will look to find savings on food bills.
One third of parents this year said the back-to-school charges will have no adverse impact on them, up from 28% last year.
Almost eight out of 10 parents are now expected to make a voluntary contribution to the school, the survey found.