society
Education
Minister Naughton launches new sustainability fund for Irish schools
Minister Hildegarde Naughton has unveiled a significant one million euro investment to bolster environmental initiatives within classrooms nationwide. This programme empowers students to lead practical sustainability projects while fostering long-term ecological stewardship across their local communities.
•
⏱️ 2 min read
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton has announced a fresh one million euro funding initiative designed to support primary and post-primary schools in delivering innovative Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) projects. This scheme invites schools to apply for grants of up to 2,500 euro to advance their sustainability goals in alignment with the national ESD to 2030 strategy.
Previous participants have successfully utilised these resources to establish diverse projects, ranging from school gardens and outdoor classrooms to sophisticated rainwater harvesting systems and food waste reduction programmes. The Department emphasises that successful applications must be student-led and incorporate a teacher professional learning element to ensure sustainability is deeply embedded within the entire school community. For the upcoming academic year, a specific priority will be placed on local community action, encouraging young people to drive positive change in their immediate surroundings.
This competitive funding process will prioritise institutions that have not previously received ESD grants. Since the inception of this initiative in 2022, over two million euro has been distributed to support 750 projects, reflecting a growing commitment to climate action and biodiversity across the Irish education sector. Full details regarding application criteria and the official Sustainability Toolkit for Schools are available on the government website.
Previous participants have successfully utilised these resources to establish diverse projects, ranging from school gardens and outdoor classrooms to sophisticated rainwater harvesting systems and food waste reduction programmes. The Department emphasises that successful applications must be student-led and incorporate a teacher professional learning element to ensure sustainability is deeply embedded within the entire school community. For the upcoming academic year, a specific priority will be placed on local community action, encouraging young people to drive positive change in their immediate surroundings.
This competitive funding process will prioritise institutions that have not previously received ESD grants. Since the inception of this initiative in 2022, over two million euro has been distributed to support 750 projects, reflecting a growing commitment to climate action and biodiversity across the Irish education sector. Full details regarding application criteria and the official Sustainability Toolkit for Schools are available on the government website.