Parents are facing costs of nearly 800 euro to send their child to secondary school.

The annual Barnardos school costs survey released today, shows parents are spending 340 euro to send a senior infants pupil back to school, but that cost rises to 775 euro for a first year pupil in second level.

These figures only take account of basic costs such as clothing, footwear, books, resources and voluntary contributions.

June Tinsley, Head of Advocacy with Barnardos, says all of these costs add up: