Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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480. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views that it is appropriate for Irish Water to sponsor a poster competition for green schools, in view of the fact that the United Nations Special Rapporteur recommended the banning of all commercial advertisements in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3788/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and is therefore responsible for making decisions as to the types of activities in which the school gets involved.The decision as to whether to participate in activities, enter competitions or partake in any promotions is one for each Board of Management to take.

In making such decisions, the Board of Management should only engage in activities that are in the best interests of their students.My Department's policy is that where an activity involves a link with a business or commercial interest, it is important that schools strike a balance between the potential benefit to be gained from the activity concerned while at the same time ensuring that children and their parents are protected from any inappropriate commercial marketing etc. In relation to the promotion and marketing of commercial products through schools, the approach in my Department's circulars - while entrusting school authorities with deciding which activities to engage in – is to require schools to ensure that undue pressure is not placed on parents to buy commercial products.

The Green-Schools in Ireland programme, operated and co-ordinated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce, is an environmental programme for schools aimed at raising students' awareness of a range of important environmental issues, including water conservation. The decision to participate in the programme, or any related initiatives or competitions, is a matter for each individual school.