Report him to the DES/Inspectorate .... canvassing for pupils in the Primary School sector isn't allowed and Boards of Management are censured for it.
"We also been told not to discuss this with other parents" --> because the schoool is breaking DES rules!
"In the last week or so the requests have now changed and he wants us to send him for a hour a day, 2 days a week so that they can pretend that they have more kids in the school than they really have." School and Principal on dangerous ground as DES will come down hard if numbers are being fiddled.
A case in point:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/school-principal-resigns-over-enrolment-row-2322934.html
Refer to article and Principal won't be long drawing in his/her request!
Your choice ... don't send. And don't feel obliged to anyone with regard to your child.
DES/Inspectorate in Cork:
[FONT="]Inspectorate Secretariat, Cork[/FONT]
[FONT="]Department of Education and Science[/FONT]
[FONT="]1A South Mall[/FONT]
[FONT="]Cork[/FONT]
[FONT="]Phone: (021) 4906011[/FONT]
[FONT="]Fax: (021) 4275445[/FONT]