Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
500. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the funding for Education for sustainable development projects in schools will be continued; and the date by which schools will have to make their application. [14324/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) funding for schools will be continued in 2026. As in previous years, the call to schools for ESD funding will be contained in the September issue of the ESD Newsletter which issues to all schools on a quarterly basis and can also be subscribed to. Schools would normally have at least four (4) weeks to complete and submit their applications.
In 2025, my department delivered €466k in funding to 21 organisations for ESD projects, programmes and resources for schools. A further €860k in funding was delivered to 390 schools nationwide for projects with a focus on local and community level action which is a key priority area in ESD to 2030. Some of the school projects funded in 2025 included the development of school gardens and outdoor classrooms, forest schools, recycling systems, biodigesters and food waste management systems, composting systems, fast fashion projects, recycling initiatives, irrigation and rainwater collection systems, energy education initiatives, student led sustainability projects, teacher professional learning and a range of sustainability themed workshops.
Schools in receipt of funding commit to developing and publishing a Sustainability Policy Statement in accordance with the School Sector Climate Action Mandate and the department has started mapping these policy statements. A Sustainability toolkit for schools was published in September 2024 to support schools in developing their policy statements.
ESD to 2030 is Ireland’s 2nd National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development and it aims to ensure that all learners have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. The strategy is co-sponsored by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science taking a lifelong learning approach.
The strategy has five priority areas for action in line with UNESCO’s roadmap for ESD for 2030 and has been adopted by UNESCO as Ireland’s Country Initiative for ESD:-
• Advancing Policy
• Transforming Learning Environments
• Capacity Building of Educators
• Empowering and Mobilising Young People
• Accelerating Local Level Action
UNESCO has also spotlighted [How Ireland promotes youth engagement in education for sustainable development] (www.unesco.org/en/articles/how-ireland-promotes-youth-engagement-education-sustainable-development)
Full details on ESD to 2030, progress reports, lists of ESD funding grantees and projects, the ESD Newsletter, the Sustainability Toolkit and the Sustainability Policy Statements map are all available on the ESD to 2030 webpage here: [National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland] (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/national-strategy-on-education-for-sustainable-development-in-ireland/)
