Education committee makes proposals to cut the cost of schooling
The Oireachtas Education Committee has called on schools across the country to use generic uniforms, introduce book rental schemes and ban workbooks.
The recommendations are part of its report on tackling back-to-school costs.
It will be sent to the Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and patronage bodies with a request for a formal response.
It calls for schools to set up finance committees where teachers and parents can discuss the expenses of the school year.
Vice-Chairman of the Education Committee, Aodhán O Riordán, said school patrons have taken no leadership in cutting the cost of sending children to school.
He said: "There's a vacuum of leadership at patron body level in providing guidelines in this area.
"We asked all the patron bodies how they felt about school uniform policy in the schools under their patronage, about book policies and about voluntary contributions in schools under their patronage, and they all said that it is a localised decision.
"I don’t think we feel that is good enough any more."
