Concern Primary Debates 2024/2025
CONCERN Debates Project Information
2024/2025
Information Evening 2024/2025 tuesday 17th september at 3:30 pm
Link to Register: https://ecwexford.ie/cpd-courses/primary-courses/4504-concern-debate-information-event-2.html
All Schools who wish to take part in the Primary Concern Debate Competition 2024-25 must attend this meeting where we will have a representative from Concern attending also. All groupings and pairings with be completed at this meeting and schools will be given the timeframe from which to operate within. As we wish to partake in the National Debating Rounds in 2025 we please ask all schools to prioritise their debates and abide by the timeframes given. If your school is not able to compete the debate during the given timeframe- a walk- through will have to be offered to the other competing school.
List of Schools participating in 2023/2024 Project
Round 1: To be completed between 9th October – 27th October 2023
Motion: All children in Ireland should have the right to a local playground
Proposing Opposing
A: Scoil Ghormáin Naofa Castletown Vs St Mary's Ballygarrett
B: Barntown NS Vs St. Kevin's, Tara Hill
C: Bunscoil Loreto Vs Scoil Eoin Baiste, Galbally
D: Danescastle NS Vs St. Fintan's N.S. Mayglass – 5/6th
E: Scoil Iosagáin Coolgreany Vs Scoil Mhuire Horeswood
Round 2: To be completed between 8th November - 1st December 2023
Motion: Getting rid of plastic pollution in our oceans is just a dream
A: Scoil Eoin Baiste, Galbally Vs Danescastle NS
B: Scoil Mhuire Horeswood Vs St Mary's Ballygarrett
C: St. Kevin's, Tara Hill
Round 3: To be completed between 1st December -26th January 2024
Motion: Electric cars are the best way for countries to reduce their emissions
A: Ballygarrett (proposing) Vs St. Kevin's, Tara Hill (opposing)
B: Danacastle (proposing) Vs St. Kevin's, Tara Hill (opposing)
Regional Final To be completed between 26th January – 19th February 2024
A: Tara Hill (proposing) Vs St Mary's NS Ballygarrett (opposing)
Tara's Hill Team
Captain – Tierna Keating
2nd speaker – Charlie Kavanagh
3RD speaker – Grace Peakin
Rebuttal/research team – Doireann O’Keeffe, Finn O’Brien, Anais Faye-Lohou
Ballygarrett's Team
Captain: Eoghan Murphy
2nd Speaker - Senan Power
3rd Speaker - Ella Shortt
Ballygarrett NS emerged as the regional champions following a hard-fought contest against Tara Hill NS.
Snapshot of our Regional Final can be seen below:
National Round
- In March, the Quarter Finals took place. These will be held in-person in mid-way venues arranged by the Concern Debates team.
- The Semi-Finals took place in-person in Dublin in April 2024.
- The Final took in the Helix, Dublin on May 2nd 2024.
Concern Primary Debates All Island Final 2023-24
Sixth class pupils from a Westmeath school have scooped Ireland’s top prize for school debating after winning the Concern Primary Debates final.
The team from Emper National School - Matthew Kiernan, Charlie Flanagan and Edward Kiernan - were one of over 250 school teams participating in the all-island contest this year.
The champions were presented with their winning trophies by the humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide, which runs the competition, on Wednesday evening at the Helix theatre in Glasnevin, Dublin.
They won after successfully proposing the motion that ‘schools are the key to ending world poverty.’
The debating trio were applauded by family members at the event and by their proud teachers from Emper National School, which is a small school with just 30 students located near Westmeath’s Longford border.
“What an achievement. We never expected this to happen,” said Emper’s team captain Matthew Kiernan.
The runners-up Killaloe Boys National School - Sam Davern, Joshua Woulfe and Tomás O’Connor - were also presented with a trophy and both teams will be brought on a tour of the Houses of the Oireachtas at a later date.
All of the contest’s participants were praised for their efforts and achievements by the organisers, who also thanked the many community volunteers who judge each debate.
“We celebrate the achievements and learning of the thousands of children who took part this year and thank their classmates, teachers and families for all their support,” said Concern’s Head of Global Citizenship Lauren Wright.
“Debating gives children the chance to learn about the world they live in and teaches them how to use their voice to express their ideas about how we can make the world a better place.
“Parents have told us how incredible debating has been for their children. Suddenly, climate change, poverty and world peace become part of their dinner-table discussions.
“The children learn how to prepare evidence-based arguments and to disagree politely – and this is very important as we try to improve our society and the world we live in today.”
The runners-up from the semi-finals, Sooey National School, Co Sligo and Carrigen National School, Co. Kilkenny, also attended the final and received trophies for their achievements.
List of Schools participating in 2022/2023 Project
Please see the list of schools who are taking part in our 2022/2023 Debates Project. Best of luck to all our schools.
| S N Chaomhain Torrchoill -Tara hill |
| St Brigid's NS, Carlow |
| Barntown NS |
| Danescastle NS |
| Coolgraney NS |
| Wexford Educate Together NS |
| Bunscoil Loreto |
| Galbally NS |
| Scoil Ghormáin Naofa |
| Carysford NS - 5th Class |
| Carysford NS - 6th Class |
| Screen NS |
| Glenbrien NS |
| Sheilbaggin NS |
Round 1
Motion: School Uniforms are a thing of the past
| Proposing | Opposing | Winning School |
| Scoil Mhuire, Bartown | Tarahill NS | Scoil Mhuire, Barntown |
| Carysfort NS – 5th Class | Glenbrien NS | Glenbrien NS |
| Carysfort NS – 6th Class | Shielbaggan NS | Shielbaggan NS |
| Danescastle NS | Coolgreaney NS | Danescastle NS |
| Wexford Educate Together NS | Bunscoil Loreto | Bunscoil Loreto |
| St Brigid's NS, Carlow | Galbally NS | Galbally NS |
| Screen NS | Scoil Ghormáin Naofa | Scoil Ghormáin Naofa |
Quarter Final
Motion: All schools should be Gaelscoileanna
| Proposing | Opposing | Winning School |
| Bunscoil Loreto | Scoil Mhuire, Barntown | Barntown NS |
| Scoil Ghormáin Naofa | Danescastle NS | Danescastle NS |
| Glenbrien NS | Shielbaggan NS | |
| Galbally NS | BYE | |
Semi Finals
Motion: Fines should be implemented for households wasting food.
Barntown NS vs Glenbrien NS Winner: Glenbrien NS
Danescastle NS vs Galbally NS Winner: Danescastle NS
Our regional final date is March 03rd 2023 at 11am online.
Concern have many resources available to help teachers and students prepare for this motion which can be found online https://www.concern.net/schools-and-youth/debates/primary-school
The National debating competition will start the week of March 27th 2023.
Best of luck to everyone.
Concern Worldwide coordinates the Primary Debates in conjunction with Education Support Centres across Ireland. Debating is a fun, educational way of encouraging your students to engage with current affairs and development topics. Debating teaches students how to think critically and prepare an argument using facts and sound research. It also teaches students valuable communication skills and builds confidence. Debates teams consist of 3 speakers, however the debates work really well when you can make it a whole class activity. The Concern Primary Debates Competition is comprised of a regional stage where schools debate online against schools in their local areas. The regional winners will then progress on to the national competition. The national competition will consist of in person debates where possible for the 2022-2023 school year.
Concern Gallery 2023
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Concern Debates Project 2021-2022
National finalists were Ardfield NS in Clonakilty, Cork and St. Francis Xavier NS, Blanchardstown. This year’s debate final was held in Dublin on June 16th.
Victory for Ardfield NS from West Cork
Pupils from Ardfield NS in Clonakilty, Cork claimed victory in the final in front of an audience of 100 people of teachers, pupils and special guest including representatives from Concern Worldwide and Irish Aid.
The event was also streamed live on YouTube.
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We are delighted with the sucess of the CONCERN Debates Project this academic year. Congratulations and thank you to all teachers and pupils involved in the project. Your involvment continues to make this project the sucess that it continues to be.
A special word of congratulations to our Regional Finalists this year, Danescastle NS & St. Anne's NS, Rathangan.
Danescastle NS emerged victorious from this final on Monday 28th March. Thank you very much to both schools.
We wish Danescastle every sucess in the upcoming National Finals to be held in the coming weeks.
Our 2 Schools Through to Final 2021-2022
Final to be Completed Between 28th January – 11th March 2021
Motion: Shopping Local Must Become The New Normal
Proposing Opposing
Danescastle NS Vs St. Annes NS, Rathangan
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List of Schools Through to Semi Final
Semi Final : To be completed between 16th December – 14th January 2022
Motion: We Need To Pay More For Our Clothes To Fight Fast Fashion
Proposing Opposing
Tara Hill NS, Gorey Vs Danescastle NS
St. Annes NS, Rathangan Vs St. Brigid’s NS, Grange
List of Schools Through to Round 2
Motion: Sustainable Cities Should Have Free, Regular Public Transport Available To Everyone
A: Danescastle NS Vs B: Bunscoil Loreto NS
C: Barnstown NS Vs D: Rathangan NS
E: St. Brigid’s NS, Grange Vs F: Scoil Mhuire, Horeswood
G: Gallbally NS Vs H: Tara Hill NSList of Schools participating in 2021/2022 Project
Please see the list of schools who are taking part in our 2021/2022 Debates Project. Best of luck to all our schools.
Scoil Mhuire, Horeswood
Davidstown NS
Bunscoil Loreto
Carysfort NS
St. Mary’s NS
SN Fionntain
Court NS
Galbally NS
St. Brigid’s NS, Grange
Ballythomas NS
Danescastle NS
Carnew NS
Tara Hill NS
Rathangan NS
AN Mhuire, Barntown NS
Glenbrien NS
MOTIONS 2021/2022
- Tik Tok has done more harm than good for young people’s confidence
- Sustainable cities should have free, regular public transport available to everyone
- We need to pay more for our clothes to fight fast fashion
- Shopping local must become the new normal
- Billionaires should not go to space
- Sport’s stars are bad role models for children
Dates of each Round
Round 1 – Monday 4th October 2021 – Friday 5th November 2021
- Tik Tok has done more harm than good for young people’s confidence
Quarter Final – 8th November 2021 – 3rd December 2021
- Sustainable Cities Should Have Free, Regular Public Transport Available To Everyone
Semi Final – 6th December 2021 – 14th January 2022
- We need to pay more for our clothes to fight fast fashion
Final - 17th January 2022 – 11th February 2022
- Shopping local must become the new normal
All debates to be completed by 18th February.
Please see Primary Debates 2021/2022 calendar:
Please see Primary Debates 2021/2022 Handbook
Please see Primary Debates Introductory Video
2020/2021 concern debates
We are delighted to confirm the following schools are taking part in this year's competition 2020/2021 .Our first round of debates begins on the 6th of November with the motion "The Voting age should be lowered to 16 ". Best of luck to all our schools.
- Danecastle NS
- Rathangan NS
- S.N. Mhuire Barntown
- Scoil Mhuire Rosslare
- Murrintown NS
- Castletown NS
Congratulations to all the schools that took part in this year's competition. We wish to thank the teachers, students and adjudicators who had to adapt to the new online format this year, from the tweets we received there were some incredible battles during the competition stages . We congratulate Rathangan NS and S.N. Mhuire Barnstown who have made it to the final . We look forward to the final debate as soon as possible.
2019/2020 Concern Debates
The following schools took part in the 2019/2020 competition
- Barntown NS
- Tara Hill NS
- Danecastle NS
- Murrintown NS
- Rosslare NS
- Scoil Eoin BaistNS,Galbally
- Scoil Ghormain Naofa
- St Josephs NS
- Tombrack NS
- Bunscoil Loreto, Gorey
- Mercy NS Wexford
- Mayglass NS
- Cushinstown NS
- Court NS
- Davidstown NS
They competed against each other on a range of different motions provided by Concern. Congratulations to all the schools who took part, we hope you all enjoyed yourselves and that participating in debates is something you will continue to do in Post-Primary school. Thank you to all the adjudicators,teachers and students for the wonderful work you did in making this such an enjoyable competition for everyone concerned.
This year due to the Covid 19 pandemic, we did not get a chance to have our Primary Concern Debate Final in the Education Centre as planned. The two schools who were due to compete against each other on the following motion 'Young people should be allowed to vote at 16" are Castletown NS and Mercy NS, Wexford.
We recommend schools have a panel of six students at least in case of illness
Only three students may debate three students on the day of the debate
Schools may have subs and have the whole class involved helping to research motions, acting as timekeeper and /or chairperson
Schools must agree the time and date of each debate - subject to staying within the designated deadline.
Practice debate(s) can be organised between schools in October - practice debate topic is “Homework is a waste of time for primary school students”
Concern have resources available to help with preparing for the debates - https://www.concern.net/schools-and-youth/debates/primary-school%26sa%3DD%26ust%3D1569928539808000%26usg%3DAFQjCNGnPGLQ3Twaq2pIc4cakNZR9OPbIA&source=gmail&ust=1570016397334000&usg=AFQjCNG0o39O4I8erZ3N1U33_rYa_WzF7A" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.concern.net/
They also have a new video for adjudicator training located here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%253DsFRr821JcTg%26sa%3DD%26ust%3D1569928539808000%26usg%3DAFQjCNHtGexesM20mh_P_USLNhdxtk8VmA&source=gmail&ust=1570016397334000&usg=AFQjCNGcmYoJdMnjQmTW6oHMnr6-mYuKtA" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.25rem; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Concern have limited spaces for workshops, teachers can contact