Education and Training Monitor 2023

1. The teaching profession

The teaching profession continues to attract high academic performers and the teaching workforce is comparatively young. Teaching is still seen by many as a rewarding career path, which is also reflected in the high competition for a place on an undergraduate teaching programme (McGuire, P., 2019). In 2021, at 28.4% the proportion of primary and secondary school teachers aged 25-34 was among the highest in the EU (15.8%), while the proportion of teachers aged 55 and over at 12.3% among the lowest (EU 24.4%) (Figure 1). However, compared to 2015, that younger group of teachers has shrunk by 5.7 pps, which indicates challenges in retaining new teachers. While there are many graduating teachers every year, numerous new graduates find that they are working as supply teachers and the terms and conditions for them are not as attractive as those for permanent teachers (Dempsey, O., 2020). Furthermore, the costs of living in larger cities, in particular Dublin, are a major disincentive to younger teachers and teachers taking up temporary posts (TUI, 2022; O’Brien, 2022). Also, in many cases new graduates take extended career breaks to travel abroad for the first few years of their careers (Harford, J. and Fleming, B., 2023).

Various factors have affected the attractiveness of the teaching profession and increased demand for teachers. Teachers’ workload has increased over the last ten years (Quinn, G., 2022), including teachers being allocated additional hours. During COVID-19, there was a much higher occupational stress reported by teachers (Minihan et al., 2022). Demand for teachers, including substitute teachers, was increased by the extension of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme to 322 additional schools from September 2023, the positive changes in the staffing schedule, which lowered the pupil-teacher ratio in schools, and the enrolment of over 15 000 displaced Ukrainian pupils. Consequently, demand for primary teachers over the next years is expected to exceed previous expectations. According to the 2023 survey by the secondary teachers’ association, there are staffing gaps in almost half of secondary schools, mainly due to a lack of substitute teachers. To solve the staffing problems, 81% of head teachers surveyed had employed at least one unqualified teacher in 2022/2023, delegated additional work to other teachers and reassigned special educational needs teachers to mainstream classes (ASTI, 2023). Also school leaders have experienced a steep decline in wellbeing since 2014, with 39% of primary and post-primary head teachers being diagnosed with stress-related medical conditions in 2022. They cited the quantity of work, the lack of time spent on teaching and learning and teacher shortages as the main stress factors (Rahimi, M. and Arnold, B., 2022). According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2021, despite all the challenges, large majorities of pupils in Ireland are taught by teachers who are enthusiastic (94%) and inspired (86%) towards their job. However, teachers were less likely to feel appreciated in their professional roles (64%) (Delaney, E., et al., 2023).

Figure 1: School teachers (ISCED 1-3) by age group, 2021

Substantial measures have been taken to address the persisting teacher supply issues. The Minister for Education has taken various measures, including establishing the Teacher Supply Steering Group¹ and the Teacher Supply Data Working Group², and published a report on developing a teacher demand and supply model in Ireland for 2020-2036 (Department of Education - DE, 2021). The report was updated for 2021-2038, considering the impact of COVID-19. Recently, the Minister adopted policies to increase places in teacher training programmes of primary teachers in 2023 and 2024³, support upskilling and increase the sharing of teaching resources across schools. However, teachers’ unions highlight the need for more promotion opportunities and the restoration of middle management posts, as well as wider reforms to tackle housing, incentivise newly qualified teachers to work in high-rent areas and create the right conditions for teachers to move to high-population areas. Recent research shows that Ireland would also benefit from diversifying the teaching profession (Keane, E. et al., 2022). In early childhood education and care (ECEC), Ireland is continuing its reforms to improve the attractiveness of careers and the professionalisation of staff (see Section 3).

Although Ireland has taken measures to increase the supply of teachers of science, mathematics and foreign languages, further needs are emerging. In April 2022, Ireland created additional places on post-graduate programmes to retrain registered post-primary teachers to teach mathematics, physics and Spanish. Post-primary schools and colleges in Ireland can be assigned language assistants from France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy and Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels). In 2023, a pilot scheme for sharing teachers among schools has been announced. However, recent research highlighted significant gaps in the provision of computer science classes, due to shortage of qualified teachers in this subject. Only 16% of schools offer the subject to upper-secondary students (Connolly, C. and Kirwan, C.2023).

2. Early childhood education and care

Participation in ECEC dropped during COVID-19 but remains in line with the EEA 2030 target. In 2021, the participation rate for children aged 3 and over was 96.4%, which is a drop of 3.6 pps compared to an estimated 100% in previous years. The fall affected 3-year-olds (by 7.7 pps) and 4-year-olds (by 2.5 pps). The public pre-school programme is provided for free for 3 hours a day, and all children are entitled to 2 school years on the programme. The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) provides support to families towards the cost of childcare for the hours spent outside of pre-school. Participation in formal childcare below the age of 3 was comparatively low at 20.6% in 2022 (Figure 2), but 4 pps up since 2021. The 2030 national target of 44.2% sets an ambitious goal for Ireland’s reforms in the sector.

Figure 2: Participation of children in formal childcare or education below 3 years old, 2022

Ireland has achieved or surpassed the interim targets under First 5, its comprehensive strategy for ECEC (2019-2028). According to the recent implementation reports (2020, 2021/2022), the main achievements include reaching paid parental leave of 7 weeks per parent (2021); exceeding the interim target of an ECEC workforce (2021) that is 30% graduates, and exceeding – five years ahead of schedule – the 2028 investment target for ECEC (0-5 age) of EUR 970 million (Irish Government, 2023). In 2023, total funding for ECEC and school-age childcare is EUR 1 025 billion. The providers who participate in the new ECEC funding scheme⁴ (94%) froze parental fees at their September 2021 level. Ireland’s 2023 budget provides an additional EUR 121 million to reduce the weekly fee for families using the NCS by 25% on average. As of end March, the number of children benefiting from the scheme increased by over 100% compared with the same period in 2022. Ireland continues to progress on reforms in the funding model (DCEDIY, 2021a) and the workforce (DCEDIY, 2021b) to transform the private ECEC sector to a model that is increasingly publicly funded and managed.

Ireland is investing in further measures to achieve a graduate-led ECEC workforce by 2028, supported also by the ESF+. New Employment Regulation orders have improved pay for over 70% of ECEC workers, establishing for the first-time minimum pay rates across a range of staff roles. The professionalisation of childcare workers and educators will be supported by the ESF+ (2021-2027): EUR 31 million will be invested in upskilling the childcare workforce⁵. According to an Irish annual survey on ECEC there is increased public support for ECEC which is of high-quality (79%), free and accessible (77%), as well as for one year of paid parental leave and action to professionalise the sector (Early Childhood Ireland, 2023). The findings from the upcoming (2024) OECD TALIS Starting Strong international survey on the ECEC workforce will further inform policy development and provision in Ireland.

Ireland is implementing new measures to improve equity in ECEC. Under First 5, it launched a pilot scheme⁶ worth EUR 150 000 to provide meals in ECEC settings in disadvantaged areas. The results of the pilot will inform decisions about wider roll-out and developing a DEIS-type programme for ECEC and school-age childcare services. This new strand of funding will also consider the best support for migrant families to help them participate in formal childcare. The new research shows that children from non-English speaking immigrant households were less likely to be in informal and formal care. Furthermore, children of migrant origin are less likely to be exposed to the beneficial effects of formal childcare, which may negatively affect their mothers’ labour force participation (Sprong, S. and Stopek, J. 2023).

3. School education

Reading skills of Irish primary school pupils remain overall high. According to PIRLS 2021, pupils in Ireland achieved a mean reading score of 577 in 2021. However, as Irish students took the test in autumn, i.e. 6 months later than in most participating countries, and in previous PIRLS surveys, it is not possible to conclude that the reading achievement in Ireland indeed improved between 2016 and 2021 (Delaney, E., et al., 2023). Girls outperformed boys by 11 points, below the international average gap (17 points). As in 2016, schools in disadvantaged areas scored much lower (DEIS-Band 1 schools by 56 points, and DEIS-Band 2 schools by 40 points)⁷. In 2021, 6% of all participating pupils were bullied about weekly, compared to 5% in 2016. The proportion of pupils who were bullied about monthly (20%) remained the same. Following extensive public consultations, also including children and parents, Ireland published a new action plan on bullying for the education sector (Cineáltas), and in April 2023, the implementation plan for 2023-2027 (DE, 2023b).

Ireland has introduced free schoolbooks and expanded the school hot meals programme from 2023/2024. In addition to socio-economic inequalities in education, COVID-19 has made the role of schools in children’s lives more visible (Crean et al., 2023). The recent evaluation of the school meals programme has shown that it had helped to improve attendance, behaviour management and concentration in class (RSM Ireland, 2022). The free primary schoolbooks scheme has been introduced in all recognised primary and special schools (DE, 2023c). Also from September 2023, free hot school meals have been provided to schoolchildren in every disadvantaged primary school. With an annual budget of over EUR 94 million, the programme will benefit over 260 000 children across 1 600 schools, doubling the number of beneficiaries.

Early school leaving remains overall low. At 3.7%, the rate of early leavers from education and training in 2022 remains among the lowest in the EU. However, the rate is high for Irish Travellers (70%) (FRA, 2020), and among people with disabilities (10.7% in 2018) (EC, 2021). In contrast, the proportion of early school leavers among foreign-born young people is comparatively low (4.6%) (McGinnity et al., 2023). The REALT network continues to support the integration of displaced Ukrainian children in schools. As of June 2023, 15 625 displaced Ukrainian pupils were enrolled in schools in 2022/2023 (10 141 in primary schools; 5 484 in post-primary schools)⁸, i.e., 88% of displaced Ukrainians aged 5-18.

Ireland has published a new primary curriculum framework. The framework places greater emphasis on science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), wellbeing and a broader arts education, and it will introduce the teaching of foreign languages at primary level (DE, 2023d). It was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment over a six-year period, taking into account national and international research and consultation with pre-, primary-, and second-level schools. During consultations for the new primary mathematics curriculum, which was published in September, children indicated a need for increased opportunities to work collaboratively (Leavy, A., 2023). Early foreign language teaching may help reverse the negative trend of the falling number of upper-secondary students taking a foreign language in the school-leaving exam. To increase digital skills, computer science was introduced as an examined subject at Leaving Certificate, and the new maths curriculum will formulise computational thinking at primary level. Some experts signal a need for better monitoring of digital competences at school and at national level in Ireland (Cosgrove, J., et al., 2022).

Ireland is preparing to improve the inclusiveness of education, also for students with special needs. In its concluding observations on Ireland, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child highlights the need to strengthen measures for ensuring equal access to quality education for children in disadvantaged groups, including Roma, Traveller, LGBTQI+, asylum-seekers, refugees and migrant children, children with disabilities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged (UN Committee, 2023). In relation to students with special educational needs, the government carried out a public consultation to review the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) (2004)⁹. The Ombudsman for Children Office recommended that the review integrate sufficient and disaggregated data on children with special educational needs, to enable disparities to be identified in the realisation of their right to education, compared with other children (OCO, 2023). Furthermore, it recommended that the definition of special educational needs be revised to acknowledge that the needs of children with disabilities arise within the context of an education system that should be moving towards inclusive learning enumerated in the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UN, 2006). With the support of the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument, Ireland aims to increase their capacity to design and implement specialist provision to support inclusive education in mainstream settings, improve teachers’ capacity to ensure quality inclusive education and increase stakeholders’ awareness. However, there is a need to ensure that the recent investment in special education does not reinforce segregation in education¹⁰.

The newly published school sector climate change mandate recognises the distinctive role of schools in education for sustainable development (ESD) and climate change (DE, 2023b). The main target for the school sector is to improve energy efficiency by 50% by 2030. ESD to 2030 promotes the sustainable development goals through active participation in ESD programmes and activities aimed at mobilising young people (e.g. ECO UNESCO). Furthermore, the top-level guidance will support active travel arrangements and the use of only renewable heating systems in school buildings (with few exceptions); the school transport scheme will be reviewed to make it more sustainable and to reduce car journeys.

4. Vocational education and training

Participation in vocational education at upper-secondary level remains below the EU average. Following an increase in 2018, enrolments in upper-secondary VET declined from 28.5% to 23.9% in 2021, remaining significantly below the EU average of 48.7%¹¹.

Despite continuous investment in VET, it is still not sufficiently aligned with labour market needs. Almost EUR 1 billion is invested annually in further education and training (FET, as VET is known in Ireland), and employers are involved in anticipating skills needs and delivering tailored learning opportunities, notably through Skillnet Ireland. However, in 2022, only 71.9% of recent VET graduates (ISCED 3 and 4) aged 20-34 were employed, against an EU average of 79.7%¹². This is 4.9 pps lower than the employment rate for all recent graduates in Ireland. In 2022, only 27.9% of VET graduates had been exposed to work-based learning while studying (EU: 60.1%)¹³.

The national FET strategy has made the sector more consistent, but major challenges persist. The 2020-2024 strategy (Irish Government, 2020), combined with service-level agreements with the 16 Education and Training Boards, improved data and performance systems, increased capital investment and professional development and has helped to bring greater cohesion to the sector. The remaining challenges include improving career guidance, making FET more responsive to changing skills needs, promoting pathways into FET and apprenticeships, to create a more balanced tertiary system, and improving working conditions for FET staff. Vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, new migrants, travellers and the long-term unemployed still require focused types of support.

5. Higher education

The tertiary educational attainment rate is the highest in the EU. In 2022, the tertiary attainment rate rose again by 0.6 pps compared to 2021, and 62.3% of people in Ireland aged 25–34 had a higher education diploma (EU: 42%). Since 2012 the rate has risen by 12 pps (EU 7.9 pps). In 2022, the gender gap decreased by 2 pps to 6.2 pps, and it is now the second lowest in the EU (11.1 pps). The proportion of STEM graduates has remained largely stable since 2016, but in 2021, it was slightly below the EU average (24.9% vs 25.4%). The proportion of ICT graduates at 8% remains the second highest in the EU (4.2%). In 2023, Ireland invested over EUR 6 million in 40 projects under the SFI Discover Programme¹⁴ to increase diversity and inclusion in STEM, and public engagement with those fields, and to address climate change and biodiversity.

The employment rate for recent tertiary graduates has caught up overall, but it remains noticeably lower among those with disabilities. In 2021, this rate grew again by 1.8 pps reaching 91.5%, in line with 2019 (91%)¹⁵. The graduate outcomes survey results also show overall positive trends in the employability of higher education graduates (HEA, 2023a). Overall, 81.9% of graduates are in employment nine months after graduating (up from 75.9 % for the 2000 graduation year and 80.1% for the 2018 graduation year). The total rate for graduates with disabilities was 69% (full-time, part-time or due to start a job), ranging from 57% to 74% depending on the nature of the disability (HEA, 2023b).

Ireland is implementing further measures to increase equity of access to higher education. Almost one in five 2020 graduates were from affluent backgrounds while fewer than one in 10 were from disadvantaged backgrounds. The proportion of the unemployed among disadvantaged graduates (9%) is higher than among affluent graduates (6%) (HEA, 2023a). The financial pressures for students include mainly a shortage of affordable rental accommodation and the increased cost of living. With its 4th national access plan for higher education (Box 2), Ireland is continuing its policy to facilitate access among vulnerable groups. This plan also covers the PATH 5 programme¹⁶ with EUR 1.35 million ring-fenced for 2022-2024 to increase participation by Traveller and Roma learners. Under the 2023 budget, EUR 17.1 million was allocated to the student assistance fund, and EUR 5 million to support students’ mental health¹⁷. Maintenance grant rates for students were increased from January 2023¹⁸. Additionally, the anti-racism principles for HEIs aim to address the related problems within the sector, and to make HEIs leaders of change in society (HEA, 2023c).

The Higher Education Authority Act was passed into law in October 2022 (Irish Government, 2022). A 12-month transitional period began in November 2022, during which the new governing authorities are appointed. The Higher Education System Performance Framework (2023-2027), which sets out parameters for signing performance contracts with designated HEIs, was launched in September 2023 (HEA, 2023d).

Ireland is progressing a policy for a unified tertiary sector and integrated pathways to higher education have been introduced¹⁹. In the newly developed joint further and higher education degree programmes, students will be able to commence a post-secondary programme in further education and complete the remainder in HEIs. As of September 2023, 23 new degree courses have been introduced ²⁰. The courses are in high-demand careers, including nursing, computer science, engineering and business. In addition to widening the educational opportunities, the policy aims to forge closer links between further and higher education institutions and reduce student dropout rates. Furthermore, to help learners access lifelong learning opportunities through micro-credentials, the Department of Further and Higher Education funded a dedicated portal: www.microcreds.ie.

6. Adult learning

Ireland has a strong skills agenda and learners generally perceive training opportunities to be of high quality. They are also more motivated to participate than learners in other Member States although participation rates are not as high as one would expect. The share of the group aged 25-64 that had participated in learning during the preceding 4 weeks fell from 13.6% in 2021 to 11.8% in 2022 (EU 11.9%)²¹. In general, younger, more highly educated people and women engage more in lifelong learning than older people, men, and those with lower educational attainment. The participation rate in adult learning by low-skilled adults was only 4.2%. The main barriers to participation were family reasons, schedule, and costs.

Ireland’s high-productivity economy increasingly relies on digitally skilled workers. This is also reflected in the high share of individuals aged 16-74 with at least basic digital skills (70.5%), and with above basic digital skills (39.7%). Even though these put Ireland among the best performing Member States, a wide digital gap still exists. People aged 55 and over, those with low educational attainment and those not in employment are lagging in digital skills.

A range of measures exist to help the re- and upskilling of vulnerable adults, however, further effort is needed. The Reach Fund provides funding to help educationally disadvantaged learners participate in community education. Thus it contributes to the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) strategy, which is also supported by the RRF and the ESF+. ALL offers free courses in basic literacy, numeracy and digital skills. The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) supports those most distant from the labour market, including the unemployed, lone parents or disabled people. The allowance rate is the same as the benefit the individual was getting before receiving the BTEA. This ensures that engaging in training does not result in a loss of income. However, Ireland will need to step up efforts to achieve their national target of 64.2% of adults participating in learning every year. Therefore, it will be important to consider the OECD’s recommendations to revise the 2025 National Skills Strategy. These include strengthening incentives for individuals and employers and making lifelong learning more flexible and accessible (OECD, 2023).