Department of Education and Skills
The Department of Education and Skills 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.
The Department promotes inclusion, lifelong learning and all education that is relevant to personal, social, cultural and economic needs.
Information is also provided by the Department on school transport, youth affairs, educational statistics and professional qualifications.
www.education.ie
Department of Social Protection
The Department of Social Protection formulates appropriate social protection policies and administers and manages the delivery of statutory and non-statutory schemes and services.
The Department is responsible for the delivery of a range of social insurance and social assistance schemes including provision for unemployment, illness, maternity, caring, widowhood, retirement and old age.
It also operates the Back to Education Allowance Scheme. This is aimed at assisting those who are unemployed, are single parents or have a disability, to pursue approved second or third-level education courses.
Application forms for all Department schemes can be downloaded.
www.welfare.ie
Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs
The Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs has specific responsibility for a range of functions, including the Community Development Programmes which aim to provide local employment opportunities, and the administration of the education, training and research grants which support community education and training activity.
The Department is also responsible for the development of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.
www.pobail.ie
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation is organised into seven Divisions, which broadly reflect distinct functional units, but there is also a substantial degree of co-operation and interaction between Divisions. These Divisions include the Employment Rights and Industrial Relations Division, and the Science, Technology and Intellectual Property Division.
The Department also has policy responsibility for a number of state-sponsored bodies including FAS, IDA Ireland, National Standards Authority of Ireland, and Science Foundation Ireland.
www.deti.ie
