Country report

1. STEM education

STEM study programmes are popular in Ireland, however the growing demand for digital, scientific and green skills still exceeds supply. Digital skills and scientific knowledge are among the areas most affected by skills shortages in Ireland (OECD, 2022). Over the past five years, employment growth in science and engineering occupations exceeded the national average rate of employment growth, and ICT was the sector with the highest average rate of annual employment growth (9.8%) over this period (SOLAS, 2024). Ireland’s green skills 2030 strategy identifies skills gaps in sectors such as construction, agriculture, and energy (Cedefop, & ReferNet, 2025; ReferNet Ireland, & Cedefop, 2025). The high demand for STEM and ICT graduates is reflected in the high employment rate of recent STEM tertiary graduates (95.5% vs EU average of 89.6%). In 2023, 28.5% of all tertiary education students (ISCED 5-8) were enrolled in STEM programmes (EU 26.9%), with this rate remaining relatively stable since 2015 (increasing by 0.7 pps). At 22.9%, enrolment in ICT programmes was also higher than the EU average (20.3%), and with 6.3% of PhD students in the ICT field, Ireland exceeds the proposed EU-level target (5%). The overall proportion of STEM graduates (25.2%) is in line with the EU average (25.9% in 2023). This is partly due to dropout rates, which are the highest in STEM programmes, particularly in ICT, but are also high in engineering and manufacturing (HEA, 2025). Although enrolment in upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary STEM vocational education and training (VET) programmes has more than doubled from 2018 (17%) to 36.4% in 2023, this rate remains below the 2030 EU target (45%). The number of STEM tertiary graduates per 1 000 population in Ireland (25.6) is the highest in the EU, but the related number for VET STEM graduates is comparatively low (5.4 vs EU 11.76), reflecting Ireland’s limited VET sector (see Section 4) (Figure 1). Migration remains a critical source of talent for ICT, with 40% of ICT jobs in Ireland held by non-Irish citizens (SOLAS, 2024).

Women’s participation in STEM is comparatively high, however, girls still face some barriers to STEM education in some schools. In 2023, women accounted for 35% of all STEM students in Ireland, surpassing the EU average of 32.2%. Women accounted for 34.5% of all ICT PhD students, also well above both the EU average (24.3%) and the 33% EU-level target. However, women constituted only 9.0% of VET STEM programme students, below the 2030 target of 25%. Various national initiatives aim to address gender gaps by increasing access to, visibility of, and mentorship for girls in STEM. Nevertheless, a third of teenage girls are still discouraged from STEM careers due to stereotypes such as the perception that boys excel naturally in maths, engineering, and technology (I WISH, 2024). Equitable access to STEM subjects is also a concern, with only 68% of all-girls schools offering STEM subjects beyond mathematics and science, compared with 87% of mixed schools and 96% of all-boys schools (ibid.). Consistent support throughout secondary education is crucial to overcoming psychological and systemic barriers in STEM.

Ireland has a strong policy framework for STEM education and aims to improve skills intelligence. Comprehensive STEM education policies, such as the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026 and the national skills strategy provide a structured framework for fostering interest and participation in STEM fields. The creation of technological universities has enhanced regional access to STEM, and increased alignment between curricula and industry needs. The Research Ireland ‘Discover’ programme focuses on creating meaningful public engagement with STEM. While Ireland has a broad range of agencies responsible for collecting and using skills information, these datasets are fragmented. To improve the collection and use of data, the government is planning to set up a national skills observatory.

New curricula aim to enhance STEM education. A new integrated STEM curriculum was published in September 2025 as part of the updated primary curriculum. At upper secondary level, reforms in 2025 brought updated specifications in biology, physics and chemistry, and a new subject of Climate Education and Sustainable Development. The curricular reforms aim to boost both excellence and equity in mathematics and science. Improvement in mathematics is important given the decreasing share of top performers in this area since 2012 (7.3% in 2022) and the increasing underachievement in mathematics (19% in 2022) as shown by the 2022 OECD PISA survey compared with the 2012 PISA (European Commission, 2024). However, shortages of STEM teachers, particularly for mathematics, are a major challenge for schools despite recent measures implemented by the government to address these shortages (TUI, 2025). Providing the necessary resources and equipment for STEM education in all schools (see Section 3) will also be essential.

2. Early childhood education and care

Ireland has launched a new funding scheme to support access for disadvantaged children to early childhood education and care (ECEC). In 2023, the enrolment rate for children aged three and above increased sharply (up 1.9 pps) from 2022 to 95.1%. Since September 2024, the new Equal Start scheme helps disadvantaged families participate in ECEC services through universal and targeted measures. It supports children in disadvantaged areas, Traveller and Roma children, those using the national childcare scheme, experiencing homelessness, or in the international protection system. In 2024/2025, 769 settings (18% of the total) (serving 35 000 children), received ‘priority designation’ and funding for additional staff hours to support engagement with families, with other child and family support services, training in inclusive practices and to support other educators and practitioners providing ECEC to children with higher needs. A lunch scheme in those settings was launched in August 2025. Ongoing evaluation of Equal Start will be essential. To support the inclusion of autistic children in ECEC and school-age childcare, dedicated guidelines have been published under the national autism innovation strategy.

Reform measures have brought marked improvements in affordability of ECEC for children below the age of three. Ireland continues its reform agenda under the First 5 programme (2019 - 2028) to improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of childcare. It will be important to continue the policy efforts supported by sufficient investment. Participation in formal childcare below three has increased recently, and in 2024, it was 24.4%, up 2.3 pps since 2023 (EU 39.3%). Ireland aims to reach its 2030 national target of 35.1% . Since September 2024, the minimum hourly subsidy rates under the national childcare scheme for children under 15 increased by 53% (DCDE, 2024a), reducing weekly fees by up to EUR 96.30 per child in settings registered with Ireland’s national childcare and family agency, TUSLA. Between 2022 and 2023, the childcare costs for couples on the average wage decreased from 27% of their household income to 17%, and for single parents from 17% to 7%. For couples on minimum wages, costs decreased from 24% to 12%, and for single parents from 4% to 0% (OECD, 2024b). Ireland’s new Childminding Regulation allows childminders to register with TUSLA, which will become obligatory in three years (DCDE, 2024b).

Recent evaluations highlight progress in providing high-quality ECEC while identifying areas needing improvement. The Department of Education Inspectorate’s analysis (2021-2023) highlights the strengths of Irish ECEC in creating inclusive, stimulating environments and using child-centred, play-based curricula. However, increased investment is needed in multicultural awareness, early language support, and leadership development (DE, 2024c). The analysis also praised the Better Start Quality Development Service for strengths-based mentoring and adaptability, and gave it recommendations for monitoring outcomes, benchmarking quality, improving leadership and interagency collaboration (DCDE, 2024a). Ireland is upskilling its ECEC staff through the Nurturing Skills Learner Fund, supported by the EU (ESF+), and aims to raise the proportion of graduate-led workforce from 39% in 2023 to 50% by 2028 (DCDE, 2025).

3. School education and basic skills

Ireland performs strongly in basic skills, particularly in reading, and has a strategy to address the remaining gaps. Ireland has the lowest underachievement rate in reading in the EU (11.4% vs EU: 26.2%). In mathematics and science, it is close to the EU-level target on underachievement (15%) (OECD, 2023). The 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) survey shows similarly good results. The average achievement of Irish fourth and eighth graders in these subjects is among the EU's best, remaining stable since 2015 (McHugh et al., 2024). While no gender differences are observed at the primary level, boys outperform girls in mathematics (by 14 score points) and science (by 9 score points) at the lower secondary level. Also, the gap between the lowest- and highest-achieving students has widened since 2015 (ibid.). The proportion of young people (aged 16-24) with at-least-basic digital skills is in line with the EU average (69.6% in 2023). At 70%, Irish students’ civic skills were above the EU average (63.5%) in 2009 (Kerr, D., et al., 2010), and civic, social and political education remains a mandatory subject in secondary education. Ireland’s new 2024-2033 literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy strategy places a renewed focus on reducing the achievement gaps in these skills, also supporting learner well-being, creative, analytical and critical thinking skills, and counteracting disinformation (Government of Ireland, 2024).

Ireland has maintained a high level of equity in education, and is now focusing on the most disadvantaged students. Over a quarter (25.9%) of disadvantaged students perform well in at least one basic skill, more than on average in the EU (16.3%). This share has remained stable since 2015, contrary to the EU trend, which has declined (Figure 2). The scheme to help disadvantaged schools and students, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS), currently supports approximately 240 000 students. However, similarly to the PISA 2022 results, the TIMSS results show that students in DEIS schools score significantly lower than those in non-DEIS schools (by 49 points in maths and 52 in science) (McHugh et al., 2024). The systems of sourcing of schools to address educational disadvantage were reviewed by the OECD during 2023-2024 to inform policy (Box). Following also stakeholders’ feedback, a new DEIS-Plus scheme will be published in 2025 to support schools facing the highest levels of disadvantage. It will align with the 2024-2030 Traveller and Roma education strategy, which aims to increase the upper secondary education completion rate (DE, 2024a, b). Although the rate of early leaving from education and training remains particularly low in Ireland, at 2.8% in 2024 (EU 8.1%), vulnerable groups, including Irish Travellers, face challenges in accessing and remaining in education (OECD, 2024b).

Ireland has started to implement a curriculum reform at upper secondary level. The new curriculum aims to increase students’ key competences, introduce new assessment methods, and better prepare students for life beyond school. Several new secondary-level subjects were introduced in 2025 including Drama, Film and Theatre Studies (see Section 1). Further subjects will be rolled out from September 2025 to 2029 (NCCA, 2024). The updated curricula will emphasise project work, with 40% of student assessment occurring outside the exam hall. However, a shortage of resources and digital infrastructure in certain schools and homes may disadvantage students from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds (O’Mahony, 2025). To maintain integrity in student assessment, the Department of Education and Youth is developing guidance on the use of AI in teaching and learning. The European Union’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) is also helping Ireland to develop strategies and tools for AI implementation in school education.

Ireland is at a crossroads in its support for a more inclusive system for students with special educational needs. Special educational settings are increasing, with around 3 735 special classes for nearly 23 000 students in 2025/2026 – this represents a doubling since 2020. Sixteen new and expanded special schools now accommodate over 9 500 students (an 18% increase in the total number of students in special schools since 2020), putting inclusive education at risk. Although driven by increased diagnostics and parental preference, this growth conflicts with international research and recommendations on inclusion (UNCRPD). Nevertheless, in parallel, inclusion is also being supported in mainstream schools, with nearly 15 000 special education teachers and 12 500 special needs assistants employed for 2025/2026. A recent study found that autistic students’ experiences varied in function of the support they received, with students who received more support having more positive experiences (McNally et al., 2025). However, only 25% of parents and over 33% of teachers see the system as fully inclusive (ibid.). Improving coordination and specialist support in mainstream settings could alleviate burdens on families and schools (OECD, 2024a). Under the project supported by the TSI, an analysis of the Irish legal framework has been published, detailing its strengths and challenges in inclusive education, with a roadmap for inclusion due by the end of 2025. Engaging with key stakeholders, particularly parents, will be essential to raise awareness of the benefits of inclusive over segregated settings.

Ireland is implementing new measures to address teacher shortages. Education and training are among the sectors most affected by labour shortages in Ireland (OECD, 2022). While still faring well internationally, in real terms (i.e. adjusted for inflation), Irish teachers’ salaries decreased by 6% between 2015 and 2023 (OECD, 2024b). From September 2025, new teachers will be offered a permanent teaching contract after one year of teaching (instead of two), and successfully gained a teaching role for the following year. There are also plans to allow eligible teachers who have qualified abroad to complete their induction requirement in Ireland. The TSI is supporting the Irish authorities in developing more effective teaching workforce planning (UNESCO, 2025).

4. Vocational education and training

Ireland’s vocational education sector is relatively small but effective. In 2023, approximately 91 000 students at upper secondary and post-secondary level attended vocational education programmes (known in Ireland as further education and training, or FET). This represents close to one third (32.9% in 2023) of all students in medium-level education, highlighting an education system that incentivises students towards tertiary education over immediate job pathways. The OECD Economic Survey indicates that there is a need to broaden secondary school options in Ireland (OECD, 2025). In 2024, 48.7% of recent VET graduates aged 20-34 from ISCED 3-4 levels had engaged in work-based learning, up 4 pps since 2023, but still below the EU average (65.2%). The government is increasing funding for apprenticeships, focusing on sectors with critical skills shortages. The employment rate of recent VET graduates was 89.9% in 2024, above both the Irish ten-year average and the EU average (80.0%), indicating an increasing need for workers with vocational education qualifications. 

Inclusion is a key focus of the 2020-2024 FET strategy and is expected to continue. The ‘Access to Apprenticeship’ initiative and the inclusion bursary programme assist young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with apprenticeships, offering a EUR 3 000 bursary to each student. The Traveller apprenticeship incentivisation programme provides bursaries to employers and participants. Post-secondary non-tertiary students with a disability are also eligible for support from the Fund for Students with Disabilities in FET. The good outcomes achieved by these disadvantaged groups prove the effectiveness of the schemes. However, challenges remain in organising work experience and work readiness for employment among students. Students with complex special educational needs face difficulties in transitioning from school (where they follow tailored curricula, sit a modified school-leaving exam, and develop skills) to post-school life (McCoy et al., 2025). Their sense of progression can decline as they may enter long-term care settings or non-progressive courses. Transport barriers can further block them from participating in activities. Improving vocational pathways, curricula and services for those with special needs, is crucial to broadening access and meeting changing labour market needs. 

5. Tertiary education

Ireland’s tertiary educational attainment rate is well above the EU-level target and continues to increase. In 2024, this rate among those aged 25–34 was 65.2%, up by 2.5 pps from 2023 and the highest level in the EU. The increase over the past five years (2020-2024) has been particularly high (6.8 pps vs EU 3.5 pps). At 8.9 pps in 2024, the gender gap in favour of women remains among the lowest in the EU (11.2 pps). The tertiary educational attainment rate among foreign-born citizens was 78.4% in 2024, significantly higher than the rate among Irish-born citizens at 59.6%. Among other EU-born nationals, the rate was slightly lower at 57.3%. In 2024, the employment rate of recent tertiary graduates dropped by 0.7 pps from 2023 but remained higher than the EU average (89.6% vs EU 86.7%).

Ireland has expanded access to financial supports for students. The eligibility of the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) scheme has been expanded (DFHERIS, 2025). From September 2025, the income threshold below which a student is eligible for a grant has been increased from EUR 26 200 to EUR 27 400, and the income deduction for student earnings outside of term time was increased from EUR 7 925 to EUR 8 424. Furthermore, the eligibility criteria to allow students who have certain immigration permissions to apply for grants were expanded. This will now include those who are under Strand 1 of the Department of Justice’s regularisation scheme for undocumented migrants and those who are the parent of an Irish citizen child.

Support has been provided for equality and diversity measures at higher education institutions. Under the inaugural call of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Enhancement Fund 2024, EUR 498 542 was awarded to seven projects involving higher education institutions. Awards were made across four priority areas: advancing gender and race equality, ending sexual violence and harassment, and advancing awareness and understanding of intersectionality and multidimensional approaches to equality, diversity and inclusion (HEA, 2024). The projects focus on training and capacity building, research, and supporting sectoral collaboration/networks in the higher education sector.

Ireland is an attractive country in which to study, with most international students coming from outside the EU. In 2023, 8.6% of higher education graduates in Ireland spent a learning mobility period abroad, up by 2.8 pps since 2022, but still less than at EU level (11.0%). Nevertheless, Ireland has received more than twice as many incoming degree-mobile students (both EU and non-EU) as Irish students went abroad. The highest proportions came from Asia (53.1%), the EU (17.5%) and North America (14.1%). On intra-EU mobility, Ireland received 34.5% more EU students who graduated in Ireland than the number of students from Ireland who subsequently graduated in another EU country. In line with its internationalisation strategy, Global Citizens 2030, Ireland continues attracting international talent to further develop its knowledge-based economy.

6. Adult skills and learning

While Ireland’s adult learning system is more developed than that of most other Member States, the culture of lifelong learning needs to be strengthened. The latest Adult Education Survey in 2022 estimated an adult learning participation rate of 48.3% (EU 39.5%), which is below Ireland’s 2030 target of 64.2%. The 2024 Labour Force Survey results confirm that 16% of adults had participated in learning in the previous four weeks, more than the EU average (14%). In 2023, Ireland performed above the EU average in literacy, and its performance in numeracy and adaptive problem-solving was in line with the EU average (OECD, 2024c). Ireland also performs strongly on digital skills and gender inclusion, with one of the narrowest rural-urban divides in the EU (European Commission, 2025). An ongoing challenge is to reach older age groups and people with lower educational attainment levels.

Ireland offers many initiatives to engage adults in learning, featuring a wide range of free or subsidised courses. Key programmes, such as Adult Literacy for Life and Springboard+ (supported by ESF+), offer flexible, part-time training in basic skills and post-secondary education. They target the unemployed, employed, returners, self-employed, and recent graduates, demonstrating Ireland’s commitment to broadening access. The EU Just Transition Fund invests EUR 87 million in green job creation in the Irish midlands, also strongly supporting upskilling and social inclusion. However, financial barriers persist for disadvantaged groups, including the cost of returning to education. The Government plans to expand free part-time courses and review financial supports for adult learners, which is positive as there have been no increases in allowances for training since 2002. Ireland’s new employment strategy will support those distant from the labour market and reduce financial challenges when they begin work. Also improving services – such as accommodation and transport for learners with disabilities and care services for those with caring responsibilities and lone parents – is essential for access.