A Cork City Councillor says people have approached him in tears over the cost of communions.
Councillor Ken O'Flynn is calling on the Catholic Church and schools to discuss the financial stress that a child's First Holy Communion Day can cause parents.
Parents are spending up to 3000 euro on communion celebrations and Councillor O'Flynn is suggesting that each school should hold a group celebration so there's less pressure on parents to spend a lot of money on a party.
Speaking to RedFM News, Councillor Ken O'Flynn says parents are turning to loan sharks to meet the cost:
"We'll need our schools to come up with a programme, that there's an alternative there, that there's something there for children to do after the Holy Communion experience. Perhaps in the school hall or a community hall. That could be a lot more affordable for parents and doesn't put the tremendous pressure that is there at the moment. I have people coming crying to me. It's absolutely a joke what people are expected to spend when it comes to Holy Communions.
