Minister Hildegarde Naughton TD
Department of Education and Youth
Our education system has long been a cornerstone of Ireland’s social and economic progress, but its greatest purpose is preparing our children to realise their full potential in a changing world.
That is why I was delighted last July to establish a National Convention on Education, bringing together voices from across society in a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help shape Ireland’s education system for decades to come.
Convention on Education
More than 30 years have passed since the last Convention on Education. Since then, our society and young people’s needs have changed and continue to evolve.
The Convention will examine key questions about the future of primary and post-primary education in Ireland and represents the most ambitious exercise in deliberative democracy ever undertaken in Irish education.
Meeting over four weekends in 2026, its 150 members reflect a balanced cross-section of Irish society: children and young people (30); parents and guardians (30); school employees and early years educators (30) and education stakeholders (60).
Importantly, this is the first Convention to include children and young people as full members, ensuring the voices of future generations are at the heart of shaping the system they’ll inherit.
Helping future generations thrive
This work is about looking beyond the day-to-day challenges and building an education system that equips future generations to thrive.
The Convention’s first meeting, chaired by Professor Anne Looney, took place in Athlone in March, marking a significant milestone. It focused on reviewing and discussing emerging findings from the earlier National Conversation on Education, which engaged more than 40,000 people nationwide through surveys, submissions and school community engagement.
This is the first Convention to include children and young people as full members, ensuring the voices of future generations are at the heart of shaping the system they’ll inherit
A second meeting took place in May, and there will be two further meetings in September and in November.
Additionally, a series of regional consultation events has been taking place. The Convention’s outcomes will help shape our future strategy and ambition for education, and I look forward to its recommendations.
Our education system remains a source of immense pride. I’m determined that we’ll continue to meet today’s challenges while building an education system that will serve children and future generations for many years to come.
