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Education In The Republic Of Ireland

Education in the Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland's education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries. There are three distinct levels of education in Ireland: primary, secondary and higher (often known as third-level or tertiary) education. In recent years further education has grown immensely. Growth in the economy since the 1960s has driven much of the change in the education system. The Department of Education and Science, under the control of the Minister for Education, is in overall control of policy, funding and direction, whilst other important organisations are the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and the Higher Education Authority, on a local level Vocational Education Committees are the only comprehensive system of government organisation. There are many other statutory and non-statutory bodies which have a function in the education system.

Introduction

All children must receive compulsory education between the ages of six and fifteen years in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland allows this education to be provided in the home: this has caused much legal wrangling for years as to the minimum standards required for home education since the constitution does not provide for the State to define these minimum standards. Compulsory education in the Irish language was abolished in 1973, although a student attending a school which receives public money must be taught the language. Certain students may get an exemption from learning Irish; these include students who have spent a significant period of time abroad or students with a learning difficulty. English is the primary medium of instruction at all levels, except in Gaelscoileanna: schools in which Irish is the working language and which are increasingly popular. Universities also offer degree programmes in diverse disciplines, taught through Irish, not just the Irish language and related literature.

Primary Education

The Primary School Curriculum (1999) is taught in all schools. The document is prepared by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and is perhaps unusual in leaving to church authorities the formulation and implementation of the religious curriculum in the schools they control. The curriculum seeks to celebrate the uniqueness of the child: :...as it is expressed in each child's personality, intelligence and potential for development. It is designed to nurture the child in all dimensions of his or her life -- spiritual, moral, cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and physical... 1 The Primary Certificate Examination (1929 - 1967) was the terminal examination at this level until the first primary school curriculum, Curaclam na Bunscoile (1971), was introduced, though informal standardized tests are still performed. The primary school system consists of eight years: Junior and Senior Infants (corresponding to kindergarten), and First to Sixth Classes. Most children attend primary school between the ages of 4 and 12.

Types of School

Primary education is generally completed at a gaelscoil, multidenominational school, or national school. Some Multidenominational schools and gaelscoileanna are actually national schools themselves. As is characteristic of much of the rest of education system, the parent has great choice in choosing the type of school appropriate for the child. :Gaelscoileanna are a very recent innovation, started only late in the last century. The Irish language is the working language in these schools. They are particularly en vogue in non-Irish speaking areas. :Multidenominational schools are another recent innovation. They are generally under the patronage of a limited company without share capital. They are often opened due to parental demand and all are welcome. :National schools date back to the introduction of state primary education in the mid-19th century. They are usually controlled by a board of management under diocesan patronage and often include a local clergyman. The term national school has of late become partly synonymous with primary school in some parts.

Secondary Education

Most students attend and complete secondary education, with approximately eighty percent of school-leavers taking the terminal examination, the Leaving Certificate. Secondary education is generally completed at a community school, a comprehensive school, a vocational school or a voluntary secondary school. In urban areas, there is great freedom in choosing the type of school the child will attend. The education system emphasis at second level is as much on breadth as on depth; the system attempts to prepare the individual for society and further education or work. This is similar to the education system values in Scotland.

Types of Programme

The document Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools published by the Department of Education and Science sets out the minimum standards of education required at this level. Examinations are overseen by the State Examinations Commission. Additional documents set out the standard in each element, module or subject. :The Junior Cycle builds on the education received at primary level and culminates with the Junior Certificate Examination. The Junior Certificate Examination is taken after three years of study and not before fourteen years of age. :The Transition Year is a one-year informal course which is taken by an increasing number of students. The content of this is left to the school to model on the local needs often focusing on work placement and related projects. :The Senior Cycle builds on the junior cycle and culminates with the Leaving Certificate Examination. The Leaving Certificate Examination is taken after at least two years of study after the Junior Certificate Examination. Therefore, a typical secondary school will consist of First to Third Year (with the Junior Cert. at the end of Third), the usually optional Transition Year (though compulsory in some schools), and Fifth and Sixth Year (with the Leaving Cert. at the end of Sixth).

Higher Education

Higher (or third-level) education awards in Ireland are conferred by Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology, Higher Education and Training Awards Council, National University of Ireland, University of Dublin and University of Limerick. These are the degree-awarding authorities approved by the Irish Government and can grant awards at all academic levels. The Pontifical University of Maynooth is essentially a private university established by the Roman Catholic Church - there is no requirement in the law of Ireland to recognise its degrees. The King's Inns of Dublin has a limited role in education specialising in the preparation of candidates for the degree of barrister-at-law to practice as barristers. Some colleges are constituent or linked colleges of universities, whilst others are designated institutions of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council. The latter include the Institutes of Technology, Colleges of Education, and other independent colleges. Some colleges have delegated authority from the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, this allows them to confer and validate awards in their own name. Some institutions have completed a process of modularizing their courses (others are still in a transition phase), mostly using the ECTS. The Bologna process and applied research are the current concerns of national educational policy, additional concerns include the structures of the National University of Ireland and Trinity College, Dublin. The Marks & Standards document, offered by most institutions, can be consulted for information on the range and criteria set down for awards, while programme specifications offer additional information. In contrast to practice in the rest of the education system, entry tends to be highly competitive for school leavers; the so called "Points Race". In 2001 the percentage of school levers transferring to third level exceeded 50% for the first time, as of 2005 it is in excess of 55% and expected to grow at approximately 1% per annum for the next decade.

Ortelius Levels

The subdegree awards still maintain an important and respected position in Ireland. The pattern of academic degrees is similar to that found in most other countries: Bachelor's degree at first level, Master's degree, and Doctorate. Designatory titles and the abbreviations used for degrees generally follow international style, particularly American and British. Since most Bachelor's and Master's degrees are awarded with honours the abbreviations do not include this distinction - thus Hons is never used.

Ortelius Level 1

The Certificate (HETAC) is a one-year course and is generally an introductory, foundation or skills-based qualification. It is awarded exclusively by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). The certificate will not be awarded after June 2006. Traditionally, the National Certificate (NCert) and National Diploma (NDip) have been by far the most common awards at this level and cover a wide variety of disciplines. It was announced in July 2004 that these awards would be replaced by the Higher Certificate and Ordinary Bachelor Degree respectively in 2005.

Ortelius Level 2

The Ordinary Bachelor Degree, a three year ab initio course, is generally only offered by the University of Dublin or a College of Education; usually a Bachelor in Arts or Bachelor of Education respectively. The Honours Bachelor Degree, a four year ab initio course, is offered in a wide variety of disciplines, including arts, business, engineering, law, medicine, and science, and is offered by default in many colleges and all universities.

Ortelius Level 3

The Graduate Diploma or Higher Diploma is a taught course often requiring a research dissertation. The course is often offered as a reorientation or professional qualification required for entry into professions such as teaching or other professions requiring the acquisition of new skills after graduation. The Master's Degree is awarded as either a research or a taught degree, or a combination of both. It is often awarded after the completion of a Bachelor's Degree or a Graduate Diploma and takes between one and three years. Unusually the degree is generally awarded at honours level. The Doctorate Degree is generally offered after original research. The most common is the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Some degrees are particularly indigenous such as the Degree of Doctor of Celtic Studies which is offered by the National University of Ireland.

Further Education

Further Education was for many years the "poor relation" of education. There were many different, often poorly defined, awards offered by a multitude of bodies, both ad-hoc and statutory. Typical areas included apprenticeships, childcare, farming, retail, and tourism. These are typically areas of the economy that do not depend on multinational investment and recognition. The Further Education and Training Awards Council confers awards in the extra-university system. Further Education has expanded immensely in recent years helped by the institutions, and because of this the type and range of these awards have been formalized to restore confidence.

Citations

1) [http://www.ncca.ie/bigriver/en/en_chm/vol23.chm NCCA Primary School Curriculum, Chapter 1] (file format: chm)

Further reading


- [http://www.ibe.unesco.org/International/ICE/natrap/Ireland.pdf UNESCO Education Provision in Ireland] (file format: pdf)

See also


- Esat Young Scientist Exhibition
- List of Irish third-level educational institutions
  - National Institute for Higher Education
  - Regional Technical College
- List of Ireland-related topics

External links


- [http://www.hea.ie Higher Education Authority, Ireland]
- [http://www.educationireland.ie International Education Board Ireland]
- [http://www.ncca.ie National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Ireland]
- [http://www.nqai.ie National Qualifications Authority of Ireland]
- [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,8443,00.html The Sunday Times University Guide 2003 - Ireland] Category:Republic of Ireland Category:Education in Ireland Ireland, Republic of

Republic of Ireland

:For an explanation of often confusing terms like Ulster, (Republic of) Ireland, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom see British Isles (terminology) . The Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of the sovereign state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. The state's official name is Ireland (Irish: Éire), and this is how international organisations and citizens refer to the country. It is a member of the European Union, has a developed economy and a population of slightly more than four million. The remaining sixth of the island of Ireland is known as Northern Ireland and is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Name

Main article: Names of the Irish state The constitution provides that the name of the state is "Éire, or, in the English language, Ireland." However the state is commonly referred to as the "Republic of Ireland" in order to distinguish it from the island of Ireland as a whole. The name Republic of Ireland came into use after the Republic of Ireland Act defined it as the official "description" of the state in 1949 (the purpose of the act being to declare that the state was a republic rather than a form of constitutional monarchy), it is also the accepted legal name in the United Kingdom of the state as per the Ireland Act 1949. Today while Republic of Ireland is an accepted term for the state, Ireland is used for official purposes such as treaties, government and legal documents and membership of international organisations. The state is also referred to, in English, by many other names such as Éire and the Twenty-six Counties. The use of Éire, in the English language, in Ireland has become increasingly rare, not least due to past condescending connotations. Historically the state has had more than one official title. The revolutionary state established by nationalists in 1919 was known as the "Irish Republic", while when the state achieved de jure independence in 1922 it became known as the "Irish Free State" (in the Irish language Saorstát Éireann), a name that was retained until 1937.

History

Main article: History of the Republic of Ireland The partition of Ireland came about because of complex constitutional developments in the early twentieth century. From 1 January 1801 until 6 December 1922, Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Famine in 1845-1847, in which 1.5 million Irish died, was followed by enormous emigration. From 1874, but particularly from 1880 under Charles Stewart Parnell, the Irish Parliamentary Party moved to prominence with its attempts to achieve Home Rule, which would have given Ireland some autonomy without requiring it to leave the United Kingdom. It seemed possible in 1911 when the House of Lords lost their veto, and John Redmond secured the Third Home Rule Act 1914. The unionist movement, however, had been growing since 1886 among Irish Protestants, fearing that they would face discrimination, and lose economic and social privileges if Irish Catholics were to achieve real political power. Though Irish unionism existed throughout the whole of Ireland, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century unionism was particularly strong in parts of Ulster, where industrialisation was more common in contrast to the more agrarian rest of the island. (Any tariff barriers would, it was feared, most heavily hit that region.) In addition, the Protestant population was more strongly located in Ulster, with unionist majorities existing in about four counties. Under the leadership of the Dublin-born Sir Edward Carson and the northerner Sir James Craig they became more militant. In 1914, to avoid rebellion in Ulster, the British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, with agreement of the leadership of the Irish Parliamentary Party leadership, inserted a clause into the bill providing for home rule for 26 of the 32 counties, with an as of yet undecided new set of measures to be introduced for the area temporarily excluded. Though it received the Royal Assent, the Third Home Rule Act 1914's implementation was suspended until after the Great War. (The war at that stage was expected to be ended by 1915, not the four years it did ultimately last.) For the prior reasons Redmond and his Irish National Volunteers supported the Allied cause, and tens of thousands joined the British Army. In January 1919, after the December 1918 general elections, 73 of Ireland's 106 MPs elected were Sinn Fein members who refused to take their seats in the British House of Commons. Instead they set up an extra-legal Irish parliament called Dáil Éireann. This Dáil in January 1919 issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence and proclaimed an Irish Republic. This Declaration of Independence was mainly a restatement of the 1916 Proclamation with the additional provision that Ireland was no longer a part of the United Kingdom. Despite this, the new Irish Republic remained unrecognised internationally except by Lenin's Russian Republic. Nevertheless the Republic's Áireacht (ministry) sent a delegation under Ceann Comhairle Sean T. O'Kelly to the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. However it was not admitted. After the bitterly fought War of Independence, representatives of the British government and the Irish rebels negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921 under which the British agreed to the establishment of an independent Irish State whereby the Irish Free State (in the Irish language Saorstát Éireann) with dominion status was created. The Dáil narrowly ratified the treaty. The Treaty however was not entirely satisfactory to either side. It gave more concessions to the Irish than the British had intended to give but did not go far enough to satisfy Republican concerns. The new Irish Free State was in theory to cover the entire island, subject to the proviso that Northern Ireland (which had been created as a separate entity under the Government of Ireland Act 1920) could opt out and choose to remain part of the United Kingdom, which it duly did, to no-one's surprise. The remaining 26 counties of the island became the Irish Free State, a constitutional monarchy over which the British monarch reigned (from 1927 with the title King of Ireland). It had a Governor-General, a bicameral parliament, a cabinet called the "Executive Council" and a prime minister called the President of the Executive Council. The Irish Civil War was the direct consequence of the creation the Irish Free State. Anti-Treaty forces, led by Eamon de Valera, objected to the fact that acceptance of the Treaty abolished the Irish Republic of 1919 to which they had sworn loyalty, arguing in the face of public support for the settlement that the "people have no right to do wrong". They objected most to the fact that the state would remain part of the British Commonwealth and that TDs would have to swear an oath of fidelity to King George V and his successors. Pro-Treaty forces, led by Michael Collins, argued that the Treaty gave "not the ultimate freedom that all nations aspire to and develop, but the freedom to achieve it". At the start of the war, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) split into two opposing camps: a pro-treaty IRA and an anti-treaty IRA. However, through the lack of an effective command structure in the anti-treaty IRA, and the pro-treaty IRA's defensive tactics throughout the war, Collins and his pro-treaty commanders were able to build up an army capable of overwhelming the anti-treaty forces on the battlefield. British supplies of artillery, aircraft, machine-guns and ammunition boosted pro-treaty forces, and the threat of a return of Crown forces to the Free State removed any doubts about the necessity of enforcing the treaty. The lack of public support for the anti-treaty Irregulars, and the determination of the government to overcome them, contributed significantly to their defeat. The National Army suffered 800 fatalities and perhaps as many as 4000 people were killed altogether. As their forces retreated, the Irregulars showed a major talent for destruction and the economy of the Free State suffered a hard blow in the earliest days of its existence as a result. Collins On the 29 December 1937 a new constitution, the Constitution of Ireland, came into force. It replaced the Irish Free State by a new state called simply "Ireland". Though this state's constitutional structures provided for a President of Ireland instead of a king, it was not technically a republic. The principal key role possessed by a head of state, that of representing the state symbolically internationally remained vested in statute law in the King as an organ. On 1 April 1949 the Republic of Ireland Act declared a republic, with the functions previously given to the King given instead to the President of Ireland. The Irish state had remained a member of the then British Commonwealth after independence until the declaration of a republic in April 1949. Under Commonwealth rules declaration of a republic automatically terminated membership of the association, consequently Ireland ceased to be a member. The Republic of Ireland joined the United Nations in 1955 and the European Community (now the European Union) in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful reunification of Ireland and have usually cooperated with the British government in the violent conflict with the Provisional IRA in Northern Ireland known as the "Troubles". A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, the Belfast Agreement, was approved in 1998 in referenda north and south of the border, and is currently being implemented, albeit more slowly than many would like.

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Republic of Ireland The state is a republic, with a parliamentary system of government. The President of Ireland, who serves as head of state, is elected for a seven-year term and can be re-elected only once. The president is largely a figurehead but can still carry out certain constitutional powers and functions, aided by the Council of State, an advisory body. The Taoiseach (prime minister), is appointed by the president on the nomination of parliament. The Taoiseach is normally the leader of the political party which wins the most seats in the national elections. It has become normal in the Republic for coalitions to form a government, and there has not been a single-party government since the period of 1987–1989. The bicameral parliament, the Oireachtas, consists of a Senate, Seanad Éireann, and a lower house, Dáil Éireann. The Seanad is composed of sixty members; eleven nominated by the Taoiseach, six elected by two universities, and 43 elected by public representatives from panels of candidates established on a vocational basis. The Dáil has 166 members, Teachtaí Dála, elected to represent multi-seat constituencies under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote. Under the constitution, parliamentary elections must be held at least every seven years, though a lower limit may be set by statute law. The current statutory maximum term is every five years. Single Transferable Vote (Parliament of Ireland)]] The Government is constitutionally limited to fifteen members. No more than two members of the Government can be selected from the Senate, and the Taoiseach, Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil. The current government is made up of a coalition of two parties; Fianna Fáil under Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Progressive Democrats under Tánaiste Mary Harney. The main opposition in the current Dáil is made up of Fine Gael and Labour. Smaller parties such as the Progressive Democrats, Green Party, Sinn Féin and the Socialist Party also have representation in the Dáil. Ireland has been in the European Union since 1973. Although it has less than 1% of the Union's population, it has received 16% of all "first warnings" issued on environmental issues.

Role of the Catholic church in national affairs

As mentioned in the Demographics section, church attendance has declined rapidly in Ireland in recent years. As with other European states (eg, Italy) that were predominently Roman Catholic, the Irish state has undergone a period of secularisation and legal de-Catholicisation. In 1972 the "special position" of the Catholic Church in Ireland was deleted from the Irish constitution. The Catholic Church was hit in the 1990s by a series of sexual scandals and cover-up charges against its hierarchy. In 1995, after a seventy-year ban, a constitutional amendment allowed divorce in the Republic. In 1983, the Irish constitution was amended to recognise "the right to life of the unborn", subject to qualifications concerning the "equal right to life" of the mother. In the 1990s the Supreme Court interpreted the qualifications in the amendment as allowing abortion in limited circumstances. However, the Oireachtas has not introduced a law enabling abortion to take place in those circumstances allowed by the court. A subsequent series of constitutional amendments allow Irish citizens access to information about abortion and to travel freely to get abortions outside Ireland. In 2005, a major inquiry was made into child sex abuse allegations. The Fern's report, which was published on 25 October, revealed that more than 100 cases of child sex abuse, between 1962 and 2002, by 21 priests, had taken place in the Diocese of Ferns alone. The report criticised the Garda and the health authorities, who failed to protect the children to the best of their ablities and in the case of the Garda before 1988, no file was ever recorded on sex abuse complaints.

Counties

Main article: Counties of Ireland The Republic of Ireland has 26 counties, and these are used in political, cultural and sporting contexts. Dáil constituencies are required by statute to follow county boundaries, as far as possible. Hence counties with greater populations have multiple constituencies (e.g. Limerick East/West) and some constituencies consist of more than one county (e.g. Sligo-Leitrim), but by and large, the actual county boundaries are not crossed. As local government units, however, some have been restructured, with County Dublin distributed between three new county councils in the 1990s and County Tipperary having been administratively two separate counties since the 1890s, giving a present-day total of 29 administrative counties and five cities. The five cities — Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford — are administered separately from the remainder of their respective counties. Five boroughs — Clonmel, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Sligo and Wexford — have a level of autonomy within the county:

- County Carlow
- County Cavan
- County Clare
- County Cork
  - City of Cork
- County Donegal
- County Dublin
  - City of Dublin
  - Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
  - Fingal
  - South Dublin
- County Galway
  - City of Galway
- County Kerry
- County Kildare
- County Kilkenny
  - City of Kilkenny (Borough)
- County Laois
- County Leitrim
- County Limerick
  - City of Limerick
- County Longford
- County Louth
  - Drogheda (Borough)
- County Mayo
- County Meath
- County Monaghan
- County Offaly
- County Roscommon
- County Sligo
  - Sligo (Borough)
- County Tipperary
  - North Tipperary
  - South Tipperary
    - Clonmel (Borough)
- County Waterford
  - City of Waterford
- County Westmeath
- County Wexford
  - Wexford (Borough)
- County Wicklow

Geography

County Wicklow Main article: Geography of Ireland The island of Ireland extends over 84,421 km² of which five-sixths belong to the Republic, with the remainder constituting Northern Ireland. It is bound to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast by the North Channel. To the east is found the Irish Sea which reconnects to the ocean via the southwest with St. George's Channel and the Celtic Sea. The west-coast of Ireland mostly consists of cliffs, hills and low mountains (the highest point being Carrauntoohil at 1,041 m). In from the perimeter of the country is mostly relatively flat farmland, traversed by rivers such as the River Shannon and several large lakes or loughs. The center of the country is part of the River Shannon watershed, containing large areas of bogland, used for peat production. The local temperate climate is modified by the North Atlantic Current and is relatively mild. Summers are rarely very hot, but it freezes only occasionally in winter. Precipitation is very common, with up to 275 days with rain in some parts of the country. Chief cities are the capital Dublin on the east coast, Cork in the south, Galway and Limerick on the west coast, and Waterford on the south east coast (see Cities in Ireland).

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Republic of Ireland The economy of the Republic of Ireland has transformed in recent years from an agricultural focus to one dependent on trade, industry and investment. While still small compared to its European neighbours, its growth is averaging a robust 10% in 1995–2000, and 7% in 1995-2004. Industry, which accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force, now takes the place of agriculture as the country's leading sector. Exports play a fundamental role in the state's rampant growth, but the economy also benefits from the accompanying rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. On paper, the country is the largest exporter of software-related goods and services in the world. In fact, a lot of foreign software, and sometimes music, is filtered through the country to avail of the state's non-taxing of royalties from copyrighted goods. One key reason for the country's economic surge might be her government's role in the past ten years. A number of programs to address the problems of high inflation (with poor results in recent years), large tax burdens, government spending, lack-luster foreign investment and low job skills have been introduced. A key part of economic policy, since 1987, has been Social Partnership which is a neo-corporatist set of voluntary 'pay pacts' between the Government, employers and trades unions. These usually set agreed pay rises for three-year periods. The state joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 (leaving behind the Irish pound) along with ten other EU nations. The 1995 to 2000 period of high economic growth led many to call the country the Celtic Tiger. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001, particularly in the high-tech export sector — the growth rate in that area was cut by nearly half. GDP growth continued to be relatively robust, with a rate of about 6% in 2001 and 2002. Growth for 2004 was over 4% and it is expected to be 5% or higher for 2005. With high growth came high levels of inflation, particularly in the capital city. Prices in Dublin, where nearly 30% of Ireland's population lives, are considerably higher than elsewhere in the country [http://www.finfacts.com/Private/bestprice/irishconsumerprices.pdf], especially in the booming property market. Ireland has the fourth-highest GDP (based on PPP) per capita in the world after Luxembourg, Norway, and the United States [http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/other/bes_04.pdf], but lies 8th in the 2005 UN Human Development Index, which counts GDP per capita as a factor. This indicates that life expectancy (77.36 in 2004) and literacy (98% in 1981), which both place Ireland at about 40th in the world, currently trail behind economic growth. Poverty figures show that 10% of Ireland's population live below the poverty line (1997 [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ie.html]). UNICEF figures show Ireland has the 6th highest child poverty rate in the developed world at 16.8% ([http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_chi_pov]).

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Republic of Ireland The Irish people are mainly of indigenous origin, with the country's only significant minorities having descended from the Vikings and Anglo-Normans. Some of them are also of English, Scottish, and Welsh descent. Demographics of the Republic of Ireland The official languages are Irish (Gaeilge), the native language, and English. Although learning Irish is not compulsory in education, most schools teach it to all of their pupils who are not exempt from needing it to qualify for National University of Ireland universities. English is by far the predominant language spoken throughout the country. People living in predominantly Irish-speaking communities (the Gaeltacht) are limited to the low tens of thousands in isolated pockets largely on the western seaboard. Roads signs are usually bilingual, except in the Gaeltachts, where they are in Irish only. The legal status of placenames has recently been the subject of controversy, with an order made in 2005 under the Official Languages Act (2003) changing the official name of certain locations from English to Irish (e.g. Dingle is now officially named An Daingean). Most public notices are only in English, as is most of the print media. National media in Irish exists on TV and radio. The Republic of Ireland is 92% nominally Roman Catholic, but there has been a massive decline in full adherence among Irish Catholics. Between 1996 and 2001, regular Mass attendance, already previously in decline, declined from 60% to 48% (it had been 90%+ in 1973), and all but two of its seminaries have closed. The second largest Christian denomination, the Church of Ireland (Anglicanism), having been in decline for most of the twentieth century, has now experienced an increase in membership, according to the 2002 census, as have other small Christian denominations, and Islam. The largest other Protestant denominations are the Presbyterian Church in Ireland , followed by the Methodist Church in Ireland. The very small Jewish community in the state has continued to decline in numbers. Ireland is also home to a variety of small immigrant populations. According to the 2002 census, conducted by the Central Statistics Office, the largest EU groups are from: the UK, Germany and France; the largest non-EU groups are from: the USA, Nigeria and Romania.

Culture

Jewish Main article: Culture of Ireland The island of Ireland has produced the Book of Kells, Irish traditional music, and writers such as George Berkeley, Jonathan Swift, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Oliver Goldsmith, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, Samuel Beckett, John Millington Synge, Seán O'Casey, Séamus Heaney, Bram Stoker and others. Shaw, Yeats, Beckett and Heaney are Nobel Literature laureates. Other prominent writers include Roddy Doyle, Dermot Bolger, Frank McCourt, Edna O'Brien, Joseph O'Connor, John McGahern and Colm Tóibín. Ernest Walton of Trinity College Dublin shared the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics for "splitting the atom". William Rowan Hamilton was a significant mathematician. William Rowan Hamilton Figures influential in music included Blues guitarist Rory Gallagher, folk singer Christy Moore, Shane MacGowan with his band The Pogues and singer Sinéad O'Connor. Successful entertainment exports in the late twentieth century include the rock group U2, Thin Lizzy, Bob Geldof, The Corrs, The Cranberries and the internationally acclaimed stage dance show Riverdance.

References


- Bunreacht na hÉireann (the 1937 constitution) ([http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/upload/static/256.pdf PDF version])
- The Irish Free State Constitution Act, 1922
- J. Anthony Foley and Stephen Lalor (ed), Gill & Macmillan Annotated Constitution of Ireland (Gill & Macmillan, 1995) (ISBN 071712276X)
- FSL Lyons, Ireland Since the Famine
- Alan J. Ward, The Irish Constitutional Tradition: Responsible Government and Modern Ireland 1782–1992 (Irish Academic Press, 1994) (ISBN 0716525283)
- Some of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.
- OECD Information Technology Outlook 2004

External links


- [http://www.gov.ie/aras Áras an Uachtaráin] - Official presidential site
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1038581.stm BBC country profile]
- [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/nations/ BBC Nations] Irish History
- [http://www.browseireland.com/ Browse Ireland] - Directory of Irish Websites
- [http://www.irlgov.ie/ Information on the Irish State] - Governmental portal
- [http://www.irelandstory.com/ Ireland Story] - History, geography and current affairs
- [http://www.walkingtree.com/ Mercator Atlas of Europe] Map of Ireland ("Irlandia") circa 1564
- [http://taoiseach.gov.ie/ Taoiseach] - Official prime ministerial site
- [http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/britishisles/ The British Isles] Independent view of Ireland and the UK
- [http://www.gov.ie/oireachtas/frame.htm Tithe an Oireachtais] - Houses of Parliament, official parliamentary site Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Republic of ja:アイルランド ko:아일랜드 ms:Ireland simple:Republic of Ireland th:สาธารณรัฐไอร์แลนด์ fiu-vro:Iirimaa zh-min-nan:Éire

Primary education

Primary or elementary education consist of the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. In most countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education (though in many jurisdictions it is permissible for parents to provide it). Primary education generally begins when children are four to seven years of age. The division between primary and secondary education is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about twelve years of age (adolescence); some educational systems have separate middle schools for that period. Primary and secondary education together are sometimes (in particular, in Canada and the United States) referred to as "K-12" education, (K is for kindergarten, 12 is for twelfth grade), while in the United Kingdom schools teaching primary education are simply referred to as Primary schools.

General information

Typically, primary education is provided in schools, where (in the absence of parental movement or other intervening factors) the child will stay, in steadily advancing classes, until they complete it and move on to secondary schooling. Children are usually placed in classes with one teacher who will be primarily responsible for their education and welfare for that year. This teacher may be assisted to varying degrees by specialist teachers in certain subject areas, often music or physical education. The continuity with a single teacher and the opportunity to build up a close relationship with the class is a notable feature of the primary education system. Over the past few decades, schools have been testing various arrangements which break from the one-teacher, one-class mold. Multi-age programs, where children in different grades (e.g. Kindergarten through second grade) share the same classroom and teachers, is one increasingly popular alternative to traditional elementary instruction. The major goals of primary education are achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all their students, as well as establishing foundations in science, geography, history and other social sciences. The relative priority of various areas, and the methods used to teach them, are an area of considerable political debate. Traditionally, various forms of corporal punishment have been an integral part of early education. Recently this practice has come under attack, and in many cases been outlawed, in Western countries at least.

Primary, Prep or Elementary schools

A school teaching primary education usually consists of the first seven years of school, that is, the years spent in school through the first to the 5th or 6th, as well as a preliminary year of school before the first year (or "grade" in US terminology):

Reception, Kindergarten, Prep or Primary

The preliminary year of school before the first year or (or grade in the US and Canada) has a number of different names in different regions:
- In the United Kingdom and Australia as Reception
- In the United States and Germany as kindergarten - The term originated from Germany, the "kinder" being German for "children" and "garten" being "garden"
- In Victoria, Australia as Prep
- In Nova Scotia, Canada as Primary. Originally, in the 19th century, it was studied after primary school.

The rest

Primary education schools are referred to by a number of different names in different regions:
- In the United Kingdom as Primary school
- In the United States, Elementary school or sometimes Grammar school
- In Canada, Grade school It is a major segment of compulsory education. Until the latter third of the 20th century, however these schools included grades 1 through 8. After leaving this school, one usually begins Secondary education. In many districts, grades 5-8 or 5-9 are called "middle school", or further separated into "intermediate school", "middle school", and/or "junior high school".

See also


- Secondary education
- Education by country
- Cuisenaire rods

External links


- [http://elementary-school.blogspot.com/ Elementary School Blog]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.html Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-2/recess.html Recess in Elementary School: What Does the Research Say?]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/literature.htm Multicultural Children's Literature in the Elementary Classroom]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-927/grouping.htm Ability Grouping in Elementary Schools]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-927/learning.htm Cognitive Learning in the Environment: Elementary Students] Category:Educational stages Primary School Category:Education ms:Pendidikan rendah ja:初等教育

Higher education

Higher education is education provided by universities and other institutions that award academic degrees, such as community colleges, and liberal arts colleges. Higher education includes both the teaching and the research activities of universities, and within the realm of teaching, it includes both the undergraduate level (sometimes referred to as tertiary education) and the graduate (or postgraduate) level (sometimes referred to as quaternary education or graduate school). Higher education differs from other forms of post-secondary education such as vocational education. However, most professional education is included within higher education, and many postgraduate qualifications are strongly vocationally or professionally oriented, for example in disciplines such as law and medicine. In most developed countries a high proportion of the population (up to 50%) now enter higher education at some time in their lives. Higher education is therefore very important to national economies, both as a significant industry in its own right, and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the economy; it is often argued that in a modern economy the quantity and quality of such human capital is the most important factor underlying economic growth.

Working in higher education

Universities are fairly large employers. Depending on the funding, a university has a teacher per 3-20 students. According to the ideal of research-university, the university teaching staff is actively involved in the research of the institution. In addition, the university usually also has dedicated research staff and a considerable support staff. Typically to work in higher education as a member of the academic faculty, one must first obtain a doctorate in an academic field, although some lower teaching positions require only master's degree. Member of the staff or administration have usually such education that is necessary for the fulfilment of their duties. Typically institutes of the university have some technical support personnel and a secretary. Depending on the organization of the university, the main adminstration is more or less centralized. Typically most of the adminstrative staff works in different adminstrative sections, such as Student Affairs. In addition, there may be central support units, such as a university library which have a dedicated staff. The professional field involving the collection, analysis, and reporting of higher education data is called institutional research. Professionals of this field can be found, in addition to universities, in e.g. state educational departments.

Further reading

Higher education in the United States
- Davies, Antony and Thomas W. Cline (2005). [http://www.business.duq.edu/faculty/davies/research/roimba.pdf The ROI on the MBA,] BizEd.
- El-Khawas, E. (1996). Campus trends. Washington, DC.: American Council on Education.
- Ewell, P.T. (1999). Assessment of higher education and quality: Promise and politics. In S.J. Messick (Ed.), Assessment in higher education: Issues of access, quality, student development, and public policy. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
- Finn, C. E. (1988, Jul.-Aug.). Judgment time for higher education: In the court of public opinion. Change, 20(4), 34-39.
- Green, Madeleine, F., ed. 1988. Leaders for a New Era: Strategies for Higher Education. New York: Macmillan.
- Snyder, Benson R. (1970). The Hidden Curriculum. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
- Veblen, Thorstein (1918). The Higher Learning in America: A Memorandum on the Conduct of Universities by Businessmen. New York: Huebsch
- Forest, James and Kevin Kinser (2002). Higher Education in the United States: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Higher education in Canada
- Bakvis, Herman and David M. Cameron (2000), [http://www.irpp.org/po/archive/po0500.htm#sufa "Post-secondary education and the SUFA"]. IRPP.

External links


- [http://www.study-in-europe.info/ Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges in Europe]
- [http://www.vidyasoochika.co.in VidyaSoochika - Higher Education Opportunities]
- [http://www.higher-ed.org Higher Education Resource Hub]
- [http://www.higher-ed.org/heus Encyclopedia of Higher Education in the United States]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/2002-3/finance.htm How Minority Students Finance Their Higher Education]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-3/quality.htm Ensuring Quality and Productivity in Higher Education]
- [http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/success Writings on Higher Education Practice from the National University of Singapore]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-3/reform.htm Reform Initiatives in Higher Education]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9219/higher.htm Budgeting for Higher Education at the State Level: Enigma, Paradox, and Ritual]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-926/blue.htm Blue Ribbon Commissions and Higher Education]
- [http://www.fullyemployedmba.com/x374.php Part Time MBA - Balancing Life, Work and School - Article]
- [http://www.acenet.edu/ American Council on Education]
- [http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/heri.html Higher Education Research Institute]
- [http://www.ashe.ws/ Association for the Study of Higher Education] Category:Educational stages Category:Education ja:高等教育

Economy of Ireland

The economy of the Republic of Ireland is modern, relatively small, and trade-dependent with growth averaging a robust 10% in 1995–2000. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 29% of the labour force. Although exports remain the primary engine for the Republic's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending and recovery in both construction and business investment. Inflation stands at 2.3% as of 2005, but this is only a recent recovery from rates of between 4% and 5%. House price inflation has been a particular economic concern (average house price was €255,776 in February 2005 [http://www.rte.ie/business/2005/0323/housing.html]) as well as service charges (utilities, insurance, healthcare, legal representation, etc.). Dublin, the nation's capital, was ranked 22nd in a worldwide cost of living survey in 2004 [http://www.finfacts.com/costofliving4.htm] - a rise of two places on 2003. Ireland has been reported to be the second richest country in the EU (if not Europe) next to Luxembourg, and fourth richest in the world.

History

Main article: Economic history of the Republic of Ireland The state known today as the Republic of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom in 1922. The state was plagued by poverty and emigration until the 1990s. That decade saw the beginning of unprecedented economic success, in a phenomenon known as the "Celtic Tiger". Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programmes designed to curb inflation, ease tax burdens, reduce government spending as a percentage of GDP, increase labour force skills, and promote foreign investment. The Republic joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with ten other European Union nations. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001, particularly in the high-tech export sector – the growth rate in that area was cut by nearly half. GDP growth continued to be relatively robust, with a rate of about 6% in 2001 and 2002 – but this was expected to fall to around 2% in 2003. Since 2001, GNI (which measures income to Irish residents rather than output) growth has been much worse, with an almost three-fold decrease in 2001 from the previous year. After a near stagnant year in 2002, growth started to pick up once again in 2003 [http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/other/bes_04.pdf].

Infrastructure

Ireland's transport infrastructure varies substantially in quality. On the East coast, the country is served by a modern road network which includes a north-south motorway (the M1), various by-passes and several dual carriageways. The rest of the country however is still served by a relatively poor standard of road. The main national routes are centred on Dublin, leading to other population centres. There is only one major non-Dublin route (or series of routes), extending through the western half of Ireland from Cork through Limerick to Galway, Sligo and Donegal. The nationwide road network is currently being upgraded and improved by the National Development Plan. The Dublin area - the best connected area in the country - is served by a light rail network (the Luas), the Dublin Port Tunnel the M50, Dublin Airport, commuter rail and the DART. Also most major national road and rail routes converge on the city. DART for commuters]] Ireland's rail network is run by the semi-state body Iarnród Éireann, a subsidiary of CIÉ and is made up of 9 national lines and several regional commuter lines such as the DART. CIÉ retain some freight customers, though few new freight services have started in recent years. Only some major ports remain technically freight-connected, the connection at Sligo for example was removed in 2003, while the link to Foynes has remained unused since 1999. The efficiency of the train network is poor, with regular delays and overcrowding on major routes ([http://www.thepost.ie/web/Home/Document%20View%20Business/did-889012424-pageUrl--2FBusiness-2FNews-2FAll-News.asp]). Some regional routes have few services, and as a result, struggle to achieve passengers. Much new rolling stock has been acquired since 1994, and as of 2004, this is finally beginning to expand capacity rather than just replacing old stock. Most major routes have been relaid with continuous welded rail, and signalling has in most cases been upgraded from the more than century-old mechanical semaphores. The country has a total of 36 airports and airfields, of which 3 - Dublin Airport, Shannon International Airport and Cork International Airport are of a substantial size. The country is served by several airlines, most notably Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Aer Arann, and Cityjet. Air transport is relatively cheap. The main ports are Rosslare Europort, Limerick, Dublin, Cork and Waterford. There are daily ferry services to Britain [http://www.infrastructure.ie/]. The telecommunications network is slowly improving, admittedly from a low base. As of 2004 broadband is available to approximately 50% of homes and businesses, with about 15% geographic coverage - however it remains relatively expensive. Coverage may expand if the telephone network is refurbished - currently 25% of lines connected to broadband-enabled exchanges cannot avail of broadband, due to bad line quality. The former state telecoms giant, Eircom, is on the record as not keeping up with line degradation in their network maintenance. The mobile market has four providers - 3 Ireland, O2 Ireland, Meteor Ltd and Vodafone Ireland. The electricity transmission system is run by the Electricity Supply Board and is available nationwide. The gas network is currently being expanded. See also: Transportation in Ireland, Rail transport in Ireland, Roads in Ireland, Communications in Ireland

Natural resources

Communications in Ireland, one of Ireland's biggest fishing ports. Over fishing has depleted Ireland's cod stocks in particular.]] Ireland's main economic resource is its large fertile pastures. Most of Ireland, particularly the midland and southern regions are suitable for agriculture. Ireland also contains some forestry - mainly pine. Its coastline - once abundant in fish, particularly cod - has been overfished for several years and fish stocks have yet to recover. However Ireland's waterways remain plentiful in salmon and trout. As for mineral resources, the country has large quantities of lead, gypsum, limestone and zinc, and smaller (unviable) quantities of copper, silver, gold, barite, and dolomite. In the midlands, Ireland has huge reserves of peat - however its economic usefulness as a fuel resource has diminished in recent years due to environmentalist calls for the protection of Irish bogs. To the south of the country and to the west, Ireland has significant exploitable reserves of natural gas (current proven reserves of 9.911bn cubic metres).

Energy

The vast majority of Irish energy needs are met by fossil fuels. About 98% of the Republic of Ireland's final energy demand is produced by burning coal, petroleum, peat, or natural gas [http://www.irish-energy.ie/content/content.asp?section_id=454]. This over reliance on fossil fuels - particularly oil - has left the Republic vulnerable to international price fluctuations - the state imports all of its oil needs. Renewable energy is beginning to meet some demand in the Republic - Airtricity and Hibernia Wind Energy (a subsidiary of the ESB) are developing wind farms across the country. As of December 2001, there were over twenty wind farms operational in the state, with a combined capacity of 125MW - generating enough energy for 80,000 homes. The government's Green Paper on Sustainable Energy calls for a further 500 MW of electricity generated from renewable sources in the five years following 2000. If properly developed the Republic could eventually become an exporter of wind energy. [http://www.irish-energy.ie/home/index.asp]

Statistics

wind energy
- Electricity production: 23,530 GWh (2001)
- Electricity production by source: fossil fuel: 94.12%, hydro: 4.63%, nuclear: 0%, other: 1.25% (1998)
- Electricity consumption: 21,630 GWh (2001)
- Electricity exports: 285 GWh (2001)
- Electricity imports: 38 GWh (2001)
- Oil consumption: 174,400 barrel (27,730 m³) per day (2001 est.)
- Natural gas production: 815 million m³ (2001 est.)
- Natural gas consumption: 4.199 km³ (2001 est.)
- Natural gas proved reserves: 9.911 km³ (As of 1 January 2002)

Monetary system

The national currency is the euro (Ireland is a member of the EMU). The banking system is dominated by the Big Four - AIB Bank, Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and National Irish Bank. The banking system is generally quite expensive and uncompetitive. There is a large Credit Union movement within the country which offers an alternative to the banks. There is a stock exchange (the ISEQ) in Dublin, however, due to its small size, many firms also maintain listings on either the AIM, FTSE or NASDAQ. The insurance industry is poorly regulated and dominated by a handful of foreign players. Premiums are very high, particularly for motor insurance. Because Ireland is a member of the EMU, it cannot dictate its own interest rates, these are set by the ECB. At present the ECB has set a very low interest rate - to try and stimulate the German and French economies - however Ireland's economy is already growing at a very fast rate. This has led to increased house price inflation as many, especially young couples, take on large mortgages, and the wealthy buy investment properties. As of 2004, average Irish house prices stand at €220,000 (this compares to IRE£9,000 (€11,430) in 1973).

Statistics


- Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: $4.152 billion (2003)
- Historic Exchange rates (Irish pounds per US$1:) 0.9865 (January 2000), 0.9374 (1999), 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997), 0.6248 (1996), 0.6235 (1995)
- Historic Exchange rates (Euro per US$1:)0.7819 (2004)

Economic makeup

2004 The Irish economy's secondary and tertiary sectors are of a similar size in fiscal terms however in terms of labour, the tertiary sector is far larger. Similarly in fiscal terms the primary sector appears small, however it still employs about 8% of the workforce.

Primary sector

The primary sector constitutes 5% of Irish GDP, and 8% of Irish employment. It is largely made up of cattle grazing, dairy production, fishing and tillage farming; particularly of turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beet, and wheat. Forestry has become a sizeable part of the Irish Economy under the incentivisation of state body Coillte. Zinc and Lead are mined in County Meath by Tara Mines. Quarrying is generally only for the internal market. In recent years, natural gas exploration has become a significant contributor to the economy - there is gas off the south of County Cork and to the West of County Mayo. Peat exploitation in the midlands provided large employment and a valuable contribution to the energy needs of the country for much of the 20th century, however its significance has dwindled in recent years. Other natural resources include Gold deposits in the Wicklow Mountains, which however are at present not exploited due to their commercial unviability.

Secondary sector

The secondary sector constitutes 46% of Irish GDP — but only 29% of the labour force. Dominated for many years by textile companies like Fruit of the Loom, the sector is now largely made up of high-tech/high value multi-nationals such as Dell, Intel, Pfizer and IBM. The secondary sector in Ireland manufactures products such as computers (25% of Europe's computers are made in Ireland, the European Headquarters of Apple Computer are in Cork City), computer parts (Intel processors are made in Ireland), drugs (much of Europe's supply of Viagra is made in Cork), confectionery (HB, Jacobs and Cadbury-Schweppes all have significant Irish operations), beer (the Guinness and Smithwicks, and Harp lager breweries are located in Ireland), high quality glass and crystal (Waterford Crystal is made in County Waterford), software (Ireland is the world's largest exporter of software - Oracle and Microsoft both have large operations in Dublin) and machinery. The sector faces increasing competition from cheaper Eastern European countries such as Poland and many Asian countries such as China, particularly in the lower skill areas such as confectionery manufacturing. The industrial production growth rate in 2003 was 6.7%. 2003 are vital to the Irish economy]]

Tertiary sector

The tertiary sector constitutes 49% of Irish GDP and 64% of Irish employment. The tertiary sector is by far the largest driver of modern Irish economic growth — the Celtic Tiger. It is made up of several industries such as accountancy, the legal sector, call centres and customer service operations, finance and stock broking, catering, and tourism. Many US firms (such as IBM and Apple Computer) located their European customer service operations in Ireland due to the availability of a young, well educated, English speaking workforce. The Irish tourism industry attracts over five million visitors annually and employees over 100,000. The IFSC in Dublin created some 14,000 jobs in the 1990s, all in the high-value finance and legal sectors. The hospitality and retail sectors are quite large — there are hundreds of domestic and foreign retail firms in Ireland (such as Next and Argos), I LOVE YOU MERCEDES and many cafe and restaurant firms operate in Ireland (such as McDonalds, Burger King and Subway.) See also: Retail in Ireland

State role in the economy

State ownership and deregulation

At present the Irish Government controls several large and key parts of the economy:
- Through CIE they control most of the bus and all of the railway market, a significant amount of the scheduled land transport services are accounted for through CIE companies.
- Through the ESB the government controls much of the electricity generation market, and all of the electricity transmission network.
- Through RTE the government control much of the radio and television broadcast sector, although commercial enterprises are gaining market share - the states control is by no means propaganda but it has a large financial and regulatory control of the sector.
- Through ownership of Aer Lingus and various airports, the government operates a large part of the aviation industry which is often accused as adopting change slowly — although in recent years Ryanair, Aer Arann and Cityjet have brought competition to the market.
- Through An Post, the government has a monopoly of the light mail deliver industry and a large portion of the partially deregulated parcel and express deliver market. Although the government owns the incumbents in the electricity, mail, broadcasting, land transport and air transport industries, many are wholly or partially open to competition from the private sector. Traditionally large and key sectors of the economy were dominated by government ownership. Some of these industries are currently being reformed and opened to competition however some of them are regarded as being slow to adopt change and reform to work practice — work pay and conditions are often much better than that in the private sector with some having overstaffing or underproductivity which is seen as an impediment to reform. The government is currently considering the privatisation of Aer Lingus and part of the Electricity Supply Board, but it is somewhat reluctant because of an earlier situation that resulted from the privatisation of Eircom — hundreds of thousands of small shareholders lost money, private investors took control and established a virtual monopoly and under-investment led to a slow roll out of broadband infrastructure.

Taxation

Main article: Taxation in the Republic of Ireland The present government (1997–) has favoured a low taxation policy to encourage FDI in Ireland. Consequently, the government opposes moves by the European Commission to restrict tax competition. (The corporate tax rate is only 12.5%, versus between 20% and 60% in the rest of Europe). The income tax system is designed to redistribute wealth from the richer to the poorer segments of society. There are 2 tax bands, based on income levels. These range from a top rate of 42%, to a bottom rate of 20%. The government receives much of its revenues from taxes on goods — these include a 21% VAT rate on most consumer goods, high levels of excise duty on tobacco, petrol, and alcohol and several smaller taxes on items such as plastic bags, cheques, ATM cards, credit cards and debit cards. The taxes in the personal financial sector, as well as the television licence, are often seen as regressive.

The welfare state

The Irish government runs a Welfare state system. The government provides free education at all levels, and for all Irish or EU citizens. Free healthcare is not universal, being restricted to the unemployed and very low earners at the General practitioner level. However hospital care is free to all, although waiting lists and delays characterise the public health service. People who are unemployed receive unemployment benefits and retired people are entitled to a state pension - both benefits are quite high by international comparisons however recent changes in the cost of living in Ireland have greatly eroded their relative buying power.

Health care

Main article: Health care in the Republic of Ireland The health care system is poorly operated with many accident and emergency wards overcrowded and understaffed and tends to be seen as a patronage system rather than patient focused, something often colloquially referred to as "The Eleven Kingdoms". People with disabilities are entitled to have carers and their other living expenses paid for by the government, however services can be patchy. Health care in Ireland is comparatively expensive, with an average GP visit being €40 (or more) and dentist's visit €70 (or more). The "medical card", eligibility for free health care, is only available to the unemployed, extremely low earners or those who can present a medical reason, although over one million are registered on the system - the system is also criticised for being reactionary rather than preventative. Ireland has one of the highest levels of take-up of private health insurance in the world. This, though expensive, does not result in entirely private healthcare. Those with health insurance are treated privately in public hospitals. The main benefit is avoiding the long waiting lists for major treatment that those without health insurance must endure. Thus Ireland is frequently said to have a "two-tier" health service. The health system, despite having millions spent on it throughout the Celtic Tiger years, has severe problems. An ongoing issue is the "waiting lists", for those requiring in some cases, serious operations. These are over a year for some procedures. Another problem is accident and emergency (A&E) overcrowding, with patients frequently left on trolleys in corridors for hours. A reorganisation of the health service is planned, but this is also controversial, with several cases of people dying en-route to centralised facilities (the inferior nearby facilities being shut down).

Education

Main article: Education in the Republic of Ireland The education system is generally quite good with standards in mathematics, science and technology being among the highest in OECD member nations, but the state has a virtual monopoly in higher education — there are few private colleges and these are highly specialised. The primary and secondary school enrolment levels are quite high and at these levels choice is wide. Third level entry is competitive; cost is relatively cheap and courses adjusted to the needs of the economy. Irish adult literacy is 99% — in line with other OECD countries. The only recognised universities are Dublin City University, National University of Ireland (with constituent universities at Cork, Dublin, Galway and Maynooth), University of Limerick and University of Dublin. The Institute of Technology system has recently overtaken the universities in terms of first year enrolment numbers and this trend appears to be accelerating; this is the realisation of the binary system's strength in Ireland.

Economic ties

United States

binary and today it still employs several thousand workers in County Cork.]] In 2003, trade between Ireland and the United States was worth around $33 billion, a $4 billion increase over 2002. U.S. exports to Ireland were valued at $7.7 billion, an increase of almost $1 billion over 2002. Irish exports to the U.S. were worth some $25.7 billion — a 500% increase since 1997. Ireland had a trade surplus of over $15 billion with the U.S. in 2003. [http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c4190.html#2004] The range of U.S. products imported to Ireland includes electrical components, computers and peripherals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, and livestock feed. Exports to the United States include alcoholic beverages, chemicals and related products, electronic data processing equipment, electrical machinery, textiles and clothing, and glassware. U.S. FDI in Ireland has been particularly important to the growth and modernization of Irish industry since 1980, providing new technology, export capabilities, and employment opportunities. The major U.S. investments in Ireland to date have included multi-billion dollar investments by Intel, Dell, IBM and Abbott Laboratories. Currently, there are more than 600 U.S. subsidiaries operating in Ireland, employing in excess of 100,000 people and spanning activities from manufacturing of high-tech electronics, computer products, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals to retailing, banking and finance, and other services. Many U.S. businesses find Ireland an attractive location to manufacture for the EU market, since it is inside the EU customs area. Government policies are generally formulated to facilitate trade and inward direct investment. The availability of an educated, well-trained, English-speaking work force and relatively moderate wage costs have been important factors. Ireland offers good long-term growth prospects for U.S. companies under an innovative financial incentive programme, including capital grants and favourable tax treatment, such as a low corporation income tax rate for manufacturing firms and certain financial services firms. manufacturing

European Union

Ireland has grown much closer to Europe in recent years — particularly since it joined the European Union (EU) in 1973. It is also part of the EMU and thus has the euro as its currency. Many US companies have located their European headquarters in Ireland and this has led to increased Irish-European ties. Ireland regularly comes near the top in polls of the most enthusiastic Europeans [http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/031228021601.psvrd1gm] [http://futurum2004.eun.org/ww/en/pub/futurum2004/news/enlargement_news/new_year.htm] and spent some €60m during its presidency of the EU [http://www.nicva.org/policy_and_research/europe/article.asp?ArticleID=8810]. The EU now accounts for the bulk of Irish trade, with the United Kingdom being the largest trading partner. Ireland's main exports to Europe are beef, computers (Dell, HP, EMC, and Apple Computer all have manufacturing facilities in Ireland) and software (Oracle and Microsoft operate in Ireland). Ireland's major imports from Europe include cars, machinery, trucks, steel, oil and consumer goods. A major economic bonus Ireland has received from EU membership has been agricultural subsidies from the CAP and large amounts of EU investment in Irish road infrastructure. However Ireland is no longer a net beneficiary of the EU, it now gives more than it receives. Since the acceptance of the 10 new Eastern European nations in 2004, Ireland's ties with Europe further increased. Many workers from countries such as Latvia, Poland and Estonia, no longer requiring work permits, came to live and work in Ireland.

Wealth distribution

Estonia Ireland may somewhat aspire to be an egalitarian society — wealth is partially redistributed among the poorer segments of society through the progressive tax system — however large disparities in wealth still exist among the employed and unemployed, with one of the worst rich-poor gaps among Western nations. Wealth is more concentrated in the eastern region around Dublin. There are many spots in Dublin marked by poverty, particularly in the inner city. The poorest segments of society are foreign nationals working in manual jobs and people from some of the older social housing schemes in Dublin. The national minimum wage is €7.65 per hour for full time staff over the age of 18 — this is quite high by historic levels. However, this wage is taxable, and above the threshold for free healthcare. The unemployment benefit (the dole) in Ireland is €134.80 per week, as of 2004. Ireland is also quite unique in Europe in that land ownership is still quite high. In particular house ownership (at approx 80%) is the norm. This contrasts with most of Continental Europe, where renting is the norm, and the United Kingdom. Social housing schemes do exist but the government has not progressively invested in these schemes in recent years.

Statistics


- Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)
- GDP per capita (2003): $29,600
- Population below poverty line (1997): 10%
- Unemployment rate (2004): 4.3%

References

Print
- O'Kane, Brian. Starting a business in Ireland - Oak Tree Publishing, 1993, 1995, & 2001. ISBN 1872853943
- O'Grada, Cormac Rocky Road: Irish Economy Since Independence - Manchester University Press, 1997. ISBN 0719045843
- O'Hearn, Denis. The Atlantic Economy: Britain, the US and Ireland - Manchester University Press, 2001. ISBN 0719059747
- Burke, Andrew E. Enterprise and the Irish Economy - Oak Tree Press in association with Graduate School of Business, University College Dublin, 1995. ISBN 186076004X Online
- CIA World Factbook (2004) [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ei.html#top CIA World Factbook Entry on Ireland]. Retrieved November 11, 2004
- Business Access to State Information and Services [http://www.basis.ie/ Doing business in Ireland]. Retrieved November 11, 2004
- [http://www.cso.ie/ Irish Central Statistics Office]. Retrieved November 11, 2004
- [http://www.finfacts.com/irecon.htm Irish Economy News/Reports]. Retrieved November 11, 2004
- [http://www.esri.ie/content.cfm?t=Irish%20Economy&mid=4 The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)]. Retrieved November 11, 2004
- [http://www.oecd.org/ireland OECD Ireland country page]
- [http://economist.com/surveys/showsurvey.cfm?issue=20041016 The Economist Survey] 16 October 2004
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4020523.stm BBC Article Ireland is named 'best country in the World to live] 17 November 2004

See also


- Central Bank of Ireland
- Central Statistics Office
- Companies Registration Office
- Economy of Europe
- Economy of Northern Ireland
- IDA Ireland
- International Financial Services Centre
- Irish Property Bubble
- Irish Stock Exchange
- Irish topics
- List of Irish companies
- Republic of Ireland corporation tax Category:Republic of Ireland Ireland

Irish Minister for Education

The Minister for Education and Science is the senior minister at the Department of Education and Science (An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta) in the Irish Government. As of September 29, 2004 Ministers at the Department for Education and Science include:
- Minister for Education and Science - Mary Hanafin, TD
- Ministers of State:
  - ... for Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage - Síle de Valera TD
  - ... for Children - Brian Lenihan TD Until September 1997 the department was known simply as the "Department for Education".

Overview

The Minister engages in a wide range of activities relating to education in the Republic of Ireland, including policy planning, quality assurance and the provision of a broad range of services. The department officially aims to:
- Promote equity and inclusion
- Promote lifelong learning
- Plan for education that is relevant to personal, social, cultural and economic needs. In recent years some of these functions have been devolved to statutory authorities, in particular the Higher Education Authority, the National Qualifications Authority and the State Ex