Education Policy Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-18 ============================================================ Michael Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West I thank the Senator very much. I welcome the opportunity to address Seanad Éireann. The promotion of STEM and digital learning within our education system is a key priority in the Department. This is reflected in multiple strategy documents, such as the STEM Education Policy statement, Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and Ireland’s Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033: Every Learner from Birth to Young Adulthood. STEM stretches across all aspects of today's world and the innovation that emerges from these fields underpins much of the economic development leading to the establishment of creative, enterprising and rewarding careers. Our education system plays a key role in encouraging and equipping learners with the knowledge, skills and basics to effect these changes. The goal is to ensure all learners, whether they are male, female or from whatever gender background, have access to high-quality STEM learning that prepares them for success in the modern world. It supports children's capacity to understand and engage fully with the world around them and enables them to benefit from learning about and working with traditional, contemporary and emerging technologies. I commend the work being done by the STEM project co-ordinators in the midlands regional positions that were funded under the EU just transition programme. I listened carefully to the comments the Senator made in relation to The Swan National School and others. I know the engagement is there and has been transformative. I understand the points she made in relation to teambuilding for all students. The positions were funded under the EU Just Transition Fund and the Department of Education and Youth has no role in it. The Senator will appreciate that the Department receives many requests in relation to support funding for initiatives, projects, resources, books, etc. Given the range of funding already provided, the Department is not in a position to replace this funding. However, I will undertake to go back and engage with this to see if there is a way. The Department will not be able to do so; it was funded under the just transition fund. We will engage and possibly come back to the Senator with some clarity on it. Under the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026, the Department continues to provide support for STEM, including the STEM-related curriculum reform; ongoing provision of STEM professional development; guidelines for STEM partnerships between schools and businesses and industry; partnership with Research Ireland to support education and public engagement projects in STEM; and ongoing support of informal STEM education projects, such as the Young Scientist Technology Exhibition, Science Blast and iWish. These initiatives inspire thousands of learners each year and help to promote creative problem-solving and teamwork in a fun and engaging way. I take the point that the Senator made in relation to teamwork. There are many facets of teamwork, not just in sport but right across the system. I take that point very seriously. The Department has been in correspondence with the local authorities concerned and has outlined how there may be other possibilities of funding elsewhere. The STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 makes it clear that STEM learning is not limited to schools. It happens in a variety of spaces such as homes, museums, coding workshops and workplaces. Inclusivity is also a core principle underpinning the Department's education strategy and the policy statement highlights the importance of broad, accessible learning experiences across all settings. I will come back to the Senator with some final comments. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-18/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:05+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-06-18