Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Average spend on Communion falls

The average family amount spent on First Holy Communions has fallen by one-quarter to €744, according to a survey.

Children are receiving slightly less money from relatives and friends this year than 12 months ago.

The Ulster Bank survey showed the majority of money received was being saved.

Some charity groups had expressed concern in recent years over the escalating spend on First Communion celebrations, and particularly on the outfits worn by recipients.

Last year, the average family spend was €1,000 but the latest survey shows that figure fell considerably.

It also follows steps by the Government to review once-off exceptional expenditure grants made by the Department of Social Protection under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, slashing it from an average of €242 to a maximum of €110 and applying it to fewer cases.

With approximately 60,000 communicants this year, a huge amount of money is still spent on the occasion, with the survey indicating that on average:

* €179 is spent on the Communion outfit and accessories;

* €176 on clothing for the rest of the family;

* €303 for food and drink;

* €86 for entertainment.

The survey also shows some parents borrow money to cover the cost of the First Communion although the majority are able to use their savings. Overall, eight out of 10 families used savings to pay for the Communion and only one in 10 needed help from friends or family. 

However, 9% still borrowed money, with an average loan for €343.

The amount of money received by children celebrating First Communion also fell from €an average of €468 last year to €432 in 2012, of which an average t of €325 was saved.

Of the estimated €107 spent by communicants, more than half was spent on computer games, followed by clothes, toys, sports equipment and books and music items.

Joe Heneghan, head of retail products, Ulster Bank said the survey demonstrated greater focus on saving by both parents and children. "It is more important than ever that young people learn to save and it will help equip them to deal with financial decisions in a responsible way throughout their lives," he said.

A staff member at The Sisters shop in Tallaght, which provides communion wear, said she believed people typically spent more on the day than outlined in the ceremony, although she said the cost of dresses and outfits had come down "significantly" in recent years.