The Minister for Social and Family Affairs is to examine proposals from the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA) for standardised school uniforms to be made more readily available in major retail outlets nationwide.
In a move aimed at reducing the "back to school" cost to parents, the agency says the provision of generic uniforms on a nationwide basis would save parents money.
It could also help to reduce the peer pressure faced by children to wear particular brands.
While some larger retail outlets already provide standard uniforms at a reasonable price, the agency believes this should be extended throughout the country.
It also believes schools should be encouraged, where possible, to promote a standard uniform for its students.
"We want to raise awareness of the cost for parents on low incomes of returning to school," Helen Johnston, director of the CPA said. "What we are saying is where there is a standardised school uniform, it can reduce the cost.
"If there is a standardised school uniform, for example a plain colour shirt, then it can be acquired at a cheaper cost in a major retail outlet. But if you have a specific outfit that can only be purchased in a particular outlet, then the retailer can put up the price," she said.
The proposals were recently sent to Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan. A spokesman for the Minister said he intended to examine them in detail in the coming weeks.
In its submission, which was requested by the Minister, the agency also calls for consideration to be given to providing children from low-income families with a school book allowance, as well as the extension of school book rental schemes.
However, announcing details of this year's back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme yesterday, worth €18 million, Mr Brennan acknowledged that tens of thousands of families who may qualify for funding are not getting it.
Under this year's scheme, parents will receive €80 for each eligible child aged between two and 11, and €150 for each eligible child aged between 12 and 17 years. The latter payment also applies to those between 18 and 22 who are in full-time education and whose parents receive the child dependant allowance. Some 150,000 students benefited from the scheme last year.
Mr Brennan said he was "appealing to people on welfare or low income employment to carefully examine the scheme conditions".
"This scheme is there to help those who genuinely need support getting their children outfitted for the new school year."
But Ms Johnston said her agency would have hoped for an increase in the amount payable under the scheme "at least in line with inflation".
In its submission to the Minister, the CPA also suggested that one way to increase the take-up of the back to school scheme would be by including it in people's social welfare payments. Currently, parents on low incomes have to apply separately for the grant.