Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for his very interesting contribution. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. I agree with every word he said.

As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services, I am aware that extracurricular activities play a key role in helping learners to grow and succeed, both in and out of the classroom, and especially in regard to their emotional health and well-being. By taking part in sports, music, art, debate, volunteering and other clubs or competitions, young people build important life skills such as teamwork, time management and leadership, which are really important in their future careers. These experiences allow students to discover their strengths, develop confidence and express themselves creatively. They also provide a valuable way for learners to make friends and feel part of a group. All of this contributes to better well-being, stronger school engagement and improved learning outcomes. Through extracurricular activities, learners have the chance to explore new interests and build habits that support lifelong learning. They become more motivated, more resilient and better prepared for future study, training or work.

I was interested to hear about the various changes in computer science and other subjects across schools in Offaly. The activities help create well-rounded learners who are not only academically capable but also socially and emotionally confident. I recognise the importance of extracurricular activities and the significant role they play in enriching the learner experience. This is reflected in several strategies and policies from the Department of Education and Youth. The Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033 highlights the value of learning that takes place outside formal settings. It acknowledges that supports for learners beyond the classroom have grown and continue to evolve. Similarly, the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 makes clear that STEM learning is not limited to schools or early years settings. It happens in a variety of spaces such as at home, in museums, during coding workshops, which the Deputy spoke about, and in the workplace. It offers huge opportunities for new learners.

One of the key actions in the policy statement is to "[p]rovide opportunities for all learners to take part in STEM through informal, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programmes". In line with this, the Department is proud to support national extracurricular programmes that encourage innovation, inquiry and participation. This includes funding for the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, SciFest, ESB Science Blast and the Engineers Ireland STEPS Programme. These initiatives inspire thousands of learners every year and help to promote creativity, problem-solving and teamwork in fun and engaging ways.

The Department greatly values the voice and contributions of young people. We recognise their active participation in a wide range of other projects and competitions such as VEX IQ Robotics and the Lego League. These opportunities are made possible through the combined efforts of schools, parents and learners, whose dedication and resourcefulness, particularly in fundraising, are vital to participation. However, due to the wide variety and growing number of opportunities now available, the Department has not been in a position to fund individual projects or competition entries. That said, the Minister fully acknowledges the importance of these experiences for learners and the exceptional work being done in schools to support them. The annual provision for STEM funding commitments is just shy of €900,000. A couple of the initiatives are seeking increases in funding to facilitate an increase in numbers participating and the rising costs of putting on those events. The Department is actively considering those requests, with decisions to be made shortly.

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