Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The role of the school is to provide an appropriate education for all its students. A stable, secure learning environment and a diverse range of programme options are an essential requirement to achieve this goal. Schools have autonomy in choosing the resources and programmes that best support their work within their own school and their broader school community. There are a number of programmes available to schools to enrich or accompany the curriculum, and some of these programmes include flags as symbols of participation or achievement. It is a matter for individual schools to participate in such programmes and fly these flags if they wish.

A Cineáltas Flag and poster was delivered to every primary, post-primary and special school in Ireland during Anti-Bullying Week 2023 and schools are invited to fly these flags to highlight that they are engaging in measures to prevent and address bullying. The Cineáltas Flag acknowledges the good work that schools are doing and will do to prevent and address bullying and to promote kindness, respect, inclusion, diversity and wellbeing. The flag was developed as part of the implementation of the Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying, a whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying in schools. Cineáltas is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying, cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools. It is centered on a child right’s based approach and provides a collective vision and clear roadmap for how the whole education community and society can work together to prevent and address bullying in our schools. The total cost of the Cineáltas Flag and poster, to include design, printing and postage, was €100,887.06 and this will not be a recurring cost.

While the Cineáltas Flag is provided by my department directly, my department and other government departments provide funding for some other programmes such as the Active Schools Flag, Green Schools Flag, Gaelbhratach, and the Yellow Flag Programme. In addition, the Blue Star Programme, funded by the EU, presents a European Union flag to primary schools which complete the programme.

The Active School Flag is an initiative of my department, supported by Healthy Ireland and administered through Mayo Education Centre. The aim of the programme is to get more schools, more active, more often. The flag is awarded to schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community. Currently, 46 post primary schools are working nationwide with the initiative team and University of Limerick to co-design a new Active School Flag Post Primary process. The total 2023 allocation from my department was €214,500, which included both Primary and post-primary programmes. Healthy Ireland allocation to Active School Flags in 2023 was €360,000. Additional funding for this programme has been provided in Budget 2024

The Green-Schools international environmental education programme and award scheme is operated in Ireland by An Taisce in partnership with Local Authorities. Qualifying schools are awarded the Green Flag after completing a year-long project. An Taisce report that in 2023, 747 schools around the country, between the primary and post-primary, were awarded a Green Flag. 52 of these schools were awarded the flag for the first time. My Department has provided funding for Green Schools over a number of years providing €25,000 in 2023 under the grant call for National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development to 2030 . The Green Schools programme is also supported by a number of other departments including the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Transport in relation to the various strands of the programme.

'Gaelbhratach' is a recognition scheme to give recognition to examples of best practice in the promotion of spoken Irish in primary and post-primary schools on an all-island basis. Schools are awarded the Gaelbhratach after successfully completing the programmes objectives over one school year. Gaelbhratach provides support to teachers in the promotion of spoken Irish in their own school. The scheme also provides opportunities to collaborate with other schools and the wider community. In summer 2023, almost 300 schools around the country, between the primary and post-primary, were participating in the scheme. The programme is run by Gael Linn with funding provided through Foras na Gaeilge from my department over a number of years. A total of €180,000 is allocated for 2024, split evenly between primary and post-primary level. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has recently announced additional funding to support this programme.

The Irish Traveller Movement’s Yellow Flag Programme is a practical programme that supports Early Learning and Care settings through to third level to become more inclusive of all cultures and ethnicities, celebrate diversity and challenge racism and discrimination. Successful education settings are awarded the Yellow Flag after completing 8 steps. A successful project aims to involve students, teachers and parents. While respecting schools' autonomy to participate in such programmes, my department has introduced a number of measures to assist schools in this matter. It’s not funded directly by my department, funding for the programme is through a range of sources to include government grants, private donations and support from non-profit organisations.

There are other programmes available for post-primary schools to choose which involve flags such as the Pieta Amber Flag Initiative which recognises the efforts of schools to create healthy and inclusive environments that support mental well-being. Similarly, the ADHD Friendly School Programme run by ADHD Ireland aims to promote understanding, knowledge, and practical strategies to support students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).