Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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519. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider seeking a re-running of Schools' Folklore Project 1937-1938 which had a significant output now stored in the National Archives, in order that current students might be encouraged to record stories from their elderly relatives. [17290/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In September 2024, Minister Norma Foley TD, announced the establishment of the Schools’ Folklore project and the Department is in the early stages of initiating this project to harness the stories, recollections and lived experiences of the more elderly members of our society.

Currently the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin holds a large amount of the material which was amassed by its predecessors, The Irish Folklore Commission and the Department of Irish Folklore. The Irish Folklore Commission was established by the Irish Government in 1935, in the aftermath of the founding of An Cumann le Béaloideas Éireann (The Folklore of Ireland Society). The Folklore Commission functioned from 1936-1970, sending full-time folklore collectors to record and transcribe material, and amassing content in other ways such as the postal questionnaire system and the Schools’ Collection.

This project aims to foster an active interest in local folklore and promote the preservation of our rich cultural heritage, in the medium of Irish and English. It is envisaged that students will collect and document stories and memories from their parents, grandparents, and elderly neighbours using a thematic approach. With the material gathered preserved as a permanent public reference source, available for possible use in education, research, lecture, broadcasting, publication and the internet. It will also provide opportunities for intergenerational communication and understanding between schoolchildren and their elders. Responses in English and Irish will be welcomed and encouraged, as will responses from all schools on the island of Ireland, irrespective of geographic location.

This project will support the current Programme for Government 2025 ambition and commitment to build a National Centre for Research and Remembrance, by providing students with opportunities to explore how history is remembered, examine diverse narratives, and reflect on the evolving role of memory in shaping society.

It will enhance and reinforce the learning of the curriculum, as well as encouraging the development of student agency and a wide range of skills in learners, including active citizenship. This will also support the national literacy, numeracy and digital learning, and education for sustainable development goals alongside inclusive educational approaches.