Forty-two Mayo schools taking part in Picker Pals this year
THE Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment with special responsibility for the Circular Economy, Alan Dillon, has announced nearly €380,000 in funding for the Picker Pals Programme, which will be delivered to 966 classrooms across Ireland this year, including 42 schools in Mayo.
The initiative, run by VOICE (Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment), empowers over 24,000 primary school children and 36,000 family members to take environmental action in their communities through fun, hands-on litter-picking activities.
Minister Dillon visited Meelickmore National School in Claremorris for the announcement, where he said: “I am pleased to continue the department’s support for the programme which delivers environmental education to primary schools, focusing on litter, and providing the tools for children and their families to pick up litter in their area. I understand that teachers and their students love the programme, which has helped to make it a success.
‘Visiting Meelickmore National School, I saw firsthand the enthusiasm of teachers and students for the programme, which has clearly helped make it such a success.”
Meelickmore NS, a four-teacher rural school, has been involved in Picker Pals for three years and recently received a Booster Box to expand participation across more classrooms. The school earned a special visit from Picker Pals last year due to its outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship.
Ms. Keaveney, a teacher at Meelickmore NS, shared: "The Picker Pals programme is great initiative for schools. The children get a little kit that they bring home every week to pick up litter with their families, then do a little report about it.
“They love it. It helps to embed the habits of litter-picking or simply not dropping litter in the first place. It instils those environmental values in them."
Picker Pals is active in every county in Ireland and has removed over 900 tonnes of waste since its launch. At the heart of the programme is the Picker Pack - a kit containing family-sized litter-picking equipment and classroom resources. Each week, a different child takes the pack home and leads a family litter-pick, sharing their experience with classmates.
To promote sustainability, schools receive packs on a 50:50 basis: new schools get a full programme pack, while returning schools receive a booster box to reuse existing equipment with refreshed educational content.
The programme also includes monthly themed lessons on topics like Litter, Biodiversity, Circular Economy, and Active Travel, live online sessions and interactive Kahoot quizzes, as well as engaging videos on Picker Pals TV.
The Department of the Environment’s support ensures that the programme remains completely free for schools, removing barriers to participation and enabling long-term impact at scale.