All Irish young people being ‘Connected, respected and contributing to their world’ is a goal outcome of the Irish National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, 2014-2020. The framework states that young people should ‘be civically engaged, socially and environmentally conscious, and […] aware of their rights as well as being responsible and respectful of the law’ (pp. 6). This is discussed further under Chapter 9.1 General context.

Young people’s contributions towards long-lasting climate solutions are specifically encouraged under the Irish government’s Climate Action Plan 2019. The plan seeks to maximize young people’s engagement and contribution through identifying concrete activities to amplify their voices and give them the space to contribute to climate change solutions.

The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development 2014-2020 provides a framework to support the education system in working toward a more sustainable future. It includes the recommendation that students should be consulted on the issue of Education for Sustainable Development to inform future policy. The strategy is described further in Chapter 9.4 Raising awareness about global issues. The development of a National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development that will run until 2030 is currently part of joint public consultations by the Irish government.