In August, INEW published our INEW Pre-Budget 2026 Submission, urging the Government to significantly increase the proportion of ODA that is channelled into education in development and emergency contexts — including to and through civil society along. Alongside this, we outlined 8 key recommendations for advancing Ireland’s global education commitments. Read the full submission here and a summary here.
We believe that today, in a time of rising inequality, escalating conflict, accelerating climate change, and the erosion of democratic ideals, education stands at the forefront of our response as a fundamental safeguard and driver of social justice, sustainable development, and humanistic and humanitarian principles.
We’re proud of Ireland’s longstanding commitment to education in its development and emergency responses. However, the percentage of ODA spending on education has dropped from 8% in 2020 to only 5% in 2023.
To that end, we are delighted to share that Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, has written to us recognising the vital role and impact of education in Ireland’s development and aid work. In the letter, he highlights education in development and humanitarian contexts as well as Global Citizenship Education as priorities of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).
As the 2026 budget takes shape, we look forward with anticipation to its development and to continuing our engagement with Irish Aid and Minister Richmond.
