Budget 2015: IDEA Response

Halt to Aid Cuts Welcome but Government Urged to Clarify Long-Term Aid Plan and Invest More in Public Awareness of Global Development

2015 a key year for Ireland’s involvement in global development.

Irish development education organisations have welcomed the Government announcement in Budget 2015 that cuts to Ireland’s aid programme have halted.  IDEA, the Irish Development Education Association, a national platform for NGOs and educators committed to education for global justice, is also urging the Government to sustain Ireland’s solidarity with developing countries and to outline a clear timeline for reaching the promise agreed by Ireland in front of World Leaders in 2000: to donate 0.7% of our Gross National Income (GNI) to Overseas Development.

“Ireland’s overseas development programme tackles the root causes of poverty and inequality. We welcome the stabilisation in ODA but if we want to achieve social justice at home and abroad, the government must put Ireland back on track to meet our commitment to the world’s poorest people and meet our target of 0.7% of GNI,” stated IDEA Director, Frank Geary.

2015 is a key year for Global Development with important decisions being made on Climate Change and the formation of a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. These decisions will affect Irish people. IDEA urges the Government to do more to engage the Irish public in critical discussion of, and involvement in, these global decisions. Ireland has historically been seen as a leader on the global stage in the area of overseas development. Recent public opinion surveys show that three quarters of Irish people remain committed to overseas aid in spite of our current circumstances. There is a strong consensus that Ireland has an obligation to invest in overseas aid. [1]

15/10/2014 Dublin.

Notes

The statement in the Budget is as follows: “For 2015, some €476 million is being provided through the International Cooperation Vote of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Combined with our share of the EU Development Cooperation Vote, and contributions from other Government Departments, this will bring our overall Official Development Assistance to some €600 million.” Source: http://budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2015/EstimateStatement.aspx#section10.5

The United Nations will meet to agree on a set of Sustainable Development Goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals which were agreed in 2000 and are due to have been achieved by 2015. The Climate Change Summit to be held in September in Paris will seek to achieve binding emissions limits to halt the impacts of Climate Change.For more on the UN SD Goals see: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300

[1] July 2014 Ipsos MRBI Poll with 1,000 Irish people. 75% of respondents agree that people in Ireland have an obligation to invest in overseas aid, even in times of economic recession. http://bit.ly/MRBIResults

Global Citizenship Education in Ireland to 2030 - Launch of IDEA´s new vision document

By Maximiliana Eligi Mtenga • September 12, 2025
Over the past few months, IDEA and its members co-created a new strategic vision and roadmap for GCE in Ireland for the next five years. This is the successor to Vision 2025 and is called Vision 2030. We are delighted to announce that we will launch the publication of Vision 2030 on Tuesday 21 October 2025 in the Georgian Suite of Buswells Hotel, 23-27 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2, 12 noon – 12.45pm. Refreshments will be provided. Please save the date and register below for the event. Please note that there is limited space at this event and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Once capacity has been reached, a waiting list will be opened.

We’re Hiring - Capacity Development Programme Manager

September 12, 2025
We’re Hiring - Capacity Development Programme Manager The Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) is looking for a Capacity Development Programme Manager to join our team. This is a unique leadership opportunity to help shape the future of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in Ireland and beyond. At IDEA, we work with over 100 members, from large NGOs like Trócaire and Concern to smaller organisations and individual educators, all committed to building a more just, equal, and sustainable world. The Capacity Development Programme Manager role is central to this mission. Key role responsibilities: Lead IDEA’s capacity development programme , ensuring our members and the wider sector have access to high-quality training, workshops, and networking opportunities. Design and deliver flagship events , including our annual conference, webinars, and seminars that strengthen skills, knowledge, and collaboration. Drive innovation and impact , ensuring our programmes respond to members’ needs, emerging challenges, and international best practice. Champion impact measurement and research , supporting our members to demonstrate the transformative power of Development and Global Citizenship Education. Collaborate across IDEA teams on policy, advocacy, and communications, ensuring capacity-building directly contributes to systemic change. Represent IDEA nationally and internationally , ensuring Ireland continues to be seen as a leader in the global conversation on education, equality, and sustainability. The role offers: A permanent contract (subject to funding) Hybrid working based in Dublin city centre Competitive salary, employer pension contribution and 25 days annual leave The opportunity to work at the heart of a dynamic national network with strong international links If you are an experienced leader with a passion for education, social justice, and building the capacity of civil society, this could be the role for you. Deadline for applications is Monday, 13 October, 5.00pm. Interviews: Week commencing 20 October 2025 For the full role description and application process, please download the Job Specification here

IDEA CEO Addresses Major International GCE Conference in Seoul

September 11, 2025
IDEA CEO, Ruairí McKiernan, was among the speakers at the recent 10th International Conference on Global Citizenship Education (IConGCED) in Seoul, co-organised by APCEIU (the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO), the Korean Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and UNESCO. The conference brought together more than 350 participants from 51 countries under the theme “Democracy in the Post-Truth Crisis: The Role of GCED.” Ruairí was the only Irish speaker, sharing perspectives shaped by Ireland’s history of conflict, peacebuilding, and global solidarity.