Department of Education (Ireland) explained

Agency Name:	Department of Education
Type:	Department
Seal:	Irish Department of Education.png
Formed:	26 August 1921
Jurisdiction:	Government of Ireland
Headquarters:	Tyrone House, Marlborough Street, Dublin
Coordinates:	53.3492°N -6.2575°W
Budget:	€10.467 billion (2023-2024)^[1]
Minister1 Name:	Norma Foley
Minister1 Pfo:	Minister for Education
Chief1 Name:	Bernie McNally
Chief1 Position:	Secretary General
Child1 Agency:	National Council for Special Education
Child2 Agency:	State Examinations Commission
Child3 Agency:	Irish Research Council
Child4 Agency:	An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta

The Department of Education (Irish: An Roinn Oideachais) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Education.

Departmental team

The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are at Marlborough Street, Dublin. The departmental team consists of the following:

Minister for Education

Norma Foley, TD

- Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion

Hildegarde Naughton, TD

- Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education : Thomas Byrne, TD
Secretary General: Bernie McNally^[2]

Overview

Chief among the department's priorities are:

the promotion of equity and inclusion, quality outcomes and lifelong learning
planning for education that is relevant to personal, social, cultural and economic needs
enhancement of the capacity of the department for service delivery, policy formulation, research and evaluation

History

In the revolutionary period, the position was first established as the Minister for Irish.^[3] ^[4] This was expanded as the Secretary for Education in the Government of the 2nd Dáil.^[5] ^[6] It was provided a statutory basis by the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, passed soon after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. This act provided it with:^[7] It also assigned it with the following agencies:^[8]

The Commissioners of National Education in Ireland.
The Intermediate Education Board for Ireland.
The Commissioners of Education in Ireland (Endowed Schools).
The Inspector of Reformatory and Industrial Schools.
The Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland (business and functions relating to Technical Instruction only).
The College of Science.
The Geological Survey in Ireland.
The National Museum of Science and Art.
The National Library of Ireland.
The National Gallery of Ireland.
The Metropolitan School of Art.
Meteorological Services.

In the early years of the state, the main focus was on running the National School primary system. Free secondary education was provided from 1968. The department also had the task of overseeing reformatory and industrial schools from 1922. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, which reported in 2009 (the "Ryan Report"), found that this was rarely achieved.

The department's headquarters were situated within the grounds of Tyrone House, Dublin in what was formerly the home of the National Education Commissioners.

Alteration of name and transfer of functions

The name and functions of the department have changed by means of statutory instruments.

Date	Effect
2 June 1924	Establishment of the Department of Education^[9]
13 July 1943	Allocation of the Genealogical Office^[10]
1 October 1997	Renamed as the Department of Education and Science^[11]
26 September 1998	Transfer of Vocational Education Superannuation Schemes from the Department of the Environment and Local Government^[12]
25 June 2002	Transfer of the Genealogical Office to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism^[13]
1 May 2010	Transfer of Skills Training from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment^[14]
1 May 2010	Transfer of Research to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment^[15]
2 May 2010	Renamed as the Department of Education and Skills^[16]
11 May 2011	Transfer of the National Education Welfare Board to the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs^[17]
21 October 2020	Transfer of Further and Higher Education to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science^[18]
22 October 2020	Renamed as the Department of Education^[19]
1 January 2021	Transfer of Science Foundation Ireland (appointment of members) to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment^[20]
1 January 2021	Transfer of Education Welfare from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth^[21]

Notes and References

Web site: Ministers Foley, Madigan and Byrne announce details of over €10.5 billion education funding in Budget 2024. Foley . Norma . 11 October 2023 . Government of Ireland . 24 February 2024 . Minister for Education Norma Foley, along with Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Josepha Madigan and Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education Thomas Byrne, today announced details of an unprecedented €10.5 billion investment in Education and Schools in Budget 2024..
Web site: Management & Organisation - Department of Education. education.ie. 23 October 2020.
Web site: THE IRISH LANGUAGE – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Monday, 27 October 1919. 11 September 2019. Houses of the Oireachtas.
Web site: RATIFICATION OF MINISTERS – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 29 June 1920. 11 September 2019. Houses of the Oireachtas.
Web site: ALTERATION OF MINISTRY OF IRISH TO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION – Dáil Éireann (2nd Dáil) – Thursday, 25 August 1921. 11 September 2019. Houses of the Oireachtas.
Web site: THE NEW MINISTRY – Dáil Éireann (2nd Dáil) – Friday, 26 August 1921. 11 September 2019. Houses of the Oireachtas.
Web site: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, Section 1: Establishment of the Departments of State. 21 April 1924. 5 October 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, Schedule. 21 April 1924. 5 October 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (Commencement) Order 1924. 30 May 1924. 11 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Allocation of Administration (Genealogical Office) Order 1943. 13 July 1943. 9 November 2020. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Education (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1997. 30 September 1997. 11 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Vocational Education Superannuation Schemes (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1998. 26 September 1998. 6 December 2020. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Genealogical Office (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002. 25 June 2002. 9 November 2020. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Employment Programmes and Services and Skills Training (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2010. 27 April 2010. 11 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2010. 27 April 2010. 11 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Education and Science (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2010. 27 April 2010. 11 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: National Education Welfare Board (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011. 10 May 2011. 3 October 2020. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020. 20 October 2020. 16 November 2020. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Education and Skills (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020. 20 October 2020. 16 November 2020. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Science Foundation Ireland (Members of Board) (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020. 1 December 2020. 1 January 2021. Irish Statute Book.
Web site: Education Welfare (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020. 1 December 2020. 15 December 2020. Irish Statute Book.