Department of Education

What this means

• The Department of Education is an Irish government body that funds, administers and oversees primary and post-primary schools across the country.[source]
• It is legally required to ensure children with special educational needs are educated in inclusive settings with proper supports, including special classes and school places.[source]
• The current Programme for Government commits the department to reducing the primary school pupil-teacher ratio to 19 to 1, a change that affects class sizes nationwide.[source]
• Expanding special classes and special school places is also an active government commitment, meaning more children with additional needs should gain access to suitable education.[source]
• Bernie McNally was appointed Secretary General of the department, making her the senior civil servant responsible for its day-to-day operations and accountability.[source]
• Michael Moynihan is an Oireachtas member linked to education matters, providing a point of democratic oversight for the department's work.[source]

Direct impact (7)

• owns statutory mandate
  Provision and oversight of first- and second-level educationMandate
• owns statutory mandate
  Provision of education for children with special educational needsMandate
• responsible for commitment
  Reduce the primary pupil-teacher ratio to 19:1Commitment
• responsible for commitment
  Expand special classes and special school placesCommitment
• holds role: Minister for Education and Youth
  Hildegarde NaughtonOfficeholder
• holds role: Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth
  Michael MoynihanOfficeholder
• holds role: Secretary General, Department of Education
  Bernie McNallyOfficeholder

Indirect impact (3)

Two-hop relationships traced through the entity above. Useful for spotting downstream knock-on effects.

• holds role: Minister for Education and Youth → holds role: Teachta Dála2-hop via hildegarde-naughton
  Dáil ÉireannBody
• holds role: Minister for Education and Youth → member of party2-hop via hildegarde-naughton
  Fine GaelParty
• holds role: Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth → member of party2-hop via michael-moynihan
  Fianna FáilParty