1343. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a schools folklore collection could be re-instated for school children, of primary age, similar to the 1937 and 1939 scheme which stands as one of the largest grassroots oral history projects ever undertaken anywhere and built almost entirely by children simply listening to their elders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57811/26]

In September 2024, the then-Minister for Education announced the intention to establish a Schools’ Folklore project. The Department is currently in the early stages of initiating this project which has the aim of harnessing the stories, recollections and lived experiences of the more elderly members of our society.

The existing 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.

The proposed Schools' Folklore 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 will also provide opportunities for intergenerational communication and understanding between schoolchildren and their elders.

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 strategy, and education for sustainable development goals alongside inclusive educational approaches.