GIY Pre Budget Submission

At GIY, we envisage a world where all food is produced, distributed and consumed in a manner that is healthy for our planet and its people. As a social enterprise, our mission is to deliver social impact. This submission is presented in order to recommend the implementation of a vegetable school garden in every in primary school in Ireland as an intervention that combines food system transformation to support a reduction in Ireland’s emissions, with real social impact. This can be achieved through the GROW at School programme delivered by GIY, which sits at the nexus of environment, education and wellbeing.

In this submission, we outline 3 key recommendations, relating to the implementation of GROW at School as a garden-based food education & sustainability programme that embeds climate action & environmental education at the heart of Irish Primary Schools;

  1. Support and Departmental funding for GROW at School as;
    • a whole-school programme that supports and complements all existing food in schools’ initiatives, and;
    • provides garden infrastructure as a long-term, whole-school resource.
  2. An environment-first strategy which ensures that all government-supported horticulture and healthy eating programmes are holistic, joined-up and supporting the delivery and achievement of Ireland’s climate targets as a priority outcome. This includes a review of existing initiatives/programmes, to ensure they are delivering on same.
  3. Implementation of recommendations by the Oireachtas Committee on Education, as outlined in the Committee report published Jan 2023 relating to Mental Health Supports in schools*, which recommends that co-curricular programme such as those delivered by GIY should be implemented at primary – as well as post-primary school – level. We are eagerly awaiting confirmation on action on these recommendations from your Department also.