Mr. Shari Irfan:

Is mise an t-uachatarán ar Aontas Daltaí Iar-Bhunscoile na hÉireann, ISSU. I thank the committee for once again inviting me to speak before it today. The ISSU is fully committed to working alongside all stakeholders to find solutions to the issues which students face. It is in this spirit that I speak before the committee today. Although there is a lack of formal education around it, I know, from talking to our membership across the country, that students have risen up to the challenge and established green schools committees in their schools. They have taken initiative on their own to secure their own future because, simply put, students care about climate change. They care about their future.

The ISSU is fully in favour of the new senior cycle subject called climate action and sustainable development. As members of this committee are aware, it is due to be rolled out in the 2025 to 2026 school year. This marks a pivotal point in the education sector with students having subject options available to them which are relevant to what is happening around them. In my capacity as uachtarán of the ISSU, I sit on the council of members for the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Through my seat, I was able to input into the curriculum development for climate action and sustainable development. Within the subject implementation, we were proud to ensure that the power of student voice was included. Much of this conversation was propelled by young student activists from the likes of the Friday for Future movement, bringing our education system into the 21st century. This conversation has been propelled because young people are concerned for the future of the world.

From my engagements with the Department of Education, I am aware there are genuine challenges around the roll out for this new senior cycle subject, with schools showing a slight hesitation in taking it on. This, of course, is natural with these new subjects being rolled out. What concerns students at the moment is the question of who is going to teach the new subject as schools struggle with teacher recruitment and retention.

As members of the committee all know, climate action and sustainable development education in primary and post-primary schools and tertiary education often takes place in non-formal settings beyond the classroom. We need to ensure the knowledge and resources are in place to support the green-schools committees and student councils within our schools. Not only do these student-led bodies ensure our education system is as sustainable as it can be, but they give the opportunities for future leaders to grow and develop. We need to ensure the correct supports are in place to support programmes like the green flag programme and the national bike week. Not only have we seen student councils and green schools committees take part in direct action such as protests and also in supporting their local community, but many have organised vintage fairs, swap shops and fought to have recycling and compost bins in their schools. These initiatives not only better the environment but create engaged and conscious citizens.

I am proud to say that the ISSU held its annual event called Debate Your Decision Makers. For the past two years, it has been held in the Mansion House. Students from across the country are invited to sit at a round table with politicians and decision-makers. This event would not be possible without the education in sustainable development, ESD, fund we receive from the Department of Education. Students have the opportunity to debate and to ask these decision-makers questions to hold them accountable to their promises. This grant has allowed us the opportunity to develop resources to roll out to student councils on how to be more sustainable. This grant has also supported many non-governmental organisations, and more, to implement actions for our country. Funding like the ESD grant remains in place and we can continue to grow to further our understanding in this area. That is the way to move forward to give meaningful space to young people in rooms where decisions are being made and where the influence lies. It is important we work on this together, regardless of our age.

It is crucial that our climate discussions are practical and reach across all aspects of the curriculum, weaving in discussions about the importance of a circular economy, whether that is with students studying business who need to understand that uncapped consumptions are not an option or students in engineering learning how to make repairs rather than throwing things away. Climate action and sustainable development cannot just exist as a stand-alone subject. It must be a crucial part of all aspects of our lives. We must acknowledge climate discussions can have a profound impact on students in our education system. The planet is in crisis and that can be hard for many. We must be prepared for the impact of eco-grief which already grips many today. Our schools and guidance counsellors must be resourced to deal with this. I thank the committee for the opportunity again and I look forward to answering any questions.