The principle functions of the Department are outlined in its Mission Statement.
"The mission of the Department of Education and Skills is to provide high-quality education, which will:
Enable individuals to achieve their full potential and to participate fully as members of society,
and
Contribute to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development.”
In pursuit of this mission, the Department has the following high-level goals:
To promote equity and inclusion.
To promote quality outcomes.
To promote lifelong learning.
To plan for education that is relevant to personal, social, cultural and economic needs.
To enhance the capacity of the Department of Education and Skills for service delivery, policy formulation, research and evaluation.
In support of these high-level goals, the Department is engaged in a wide range of activities covering the key elements of policy planning, quality assurance, resourcing, regulation and evaluation, as well as providing a broad range of support services for the education sector.
School Principal
Paul Meany "The workload is massive but the job is rewarding. In a sense it is still a vocation"
Teacher - Special Needs
Padraig Parle "Last year our school did very well in our Whole School Evaluation. Whenever I receive positive feedback from an inspector, I feel a combination of relief and pride"
Guidance Counsellor
Brian Howard "there is great satisfaction from helping young people make important decisions on their journey through school life"
Primary School Teacher
Brian Cadigan "I feel I am good at dealing with people and teaching is all about human interaction"
Lecturer
Aoife Mc Dermott "While I work hard, I do so in my own office, organise my own time, and am free to do so once I do my job well."
Secondary School Teacher
Mary Joyce "A lot of organisation goes with delivering a PE lesson as you must take into consideration equipment, location and safety issues"
Resource Teacher
Paul Galvan "Prioritising learning needs for students can be challenging, as there are often subtle learning difficulties which can prove difficult to target"
Primary School Teacher
Deirdre Sayers "There is a great sense of satisfaction in seeing another person develop both academically and emotionally"
