FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS

2. Introduction and Context
In its Strategy and Action Plan for Education 2016-
2019, the Department of Education & Skills (DES) sets
out its ambition for Ireland to become the best in
education and training in Europe over the next decade.
As with the Department’s sector-wide reform
programme, the strategy reflects the key principles of
access, excellence, transparency and innovation and
has identified five high level goals, each with a detailed
action plan:
(i) Improve the learning experience and the success
of learners
(ii) Improve the progress of learners at risk of educational disadvantage or learners with special
educational needs
(iii) Help those delivering education services to continuously improve
(iv) Build stronger bridges between education and communities
(v) Improve national planning and support services.
In recognition of the importance of the role that data plays in supporting most of the Department’s
activities, Action 122 sets out to:
“Provide greater strategic direction in the Department’s
governance, management and use of data”.
The development of this Data Strategy is the starting point in achieving this action and it builds on the
Department’s previous Data Strategy (2008-2010). The new strategy’s four objectives are to,
1. Build Data Capacity and Capability
2. Strengthen Data Management
3. Strengthen Data Related Collaboration, and
4. Maximise the Use and Value of Data.
They are designed to support the achievement of the goals and ambitions of the Department’s
Statement of Strategy while also addressing a number of fundamental data issues and influencing
factors. Through the successful achievement of these objectives we will create an environment that
facilitates cultural change with regard to how data is perceived and used within the Department and
across the sector.
Increasing our ability to professionally identify, collect, manage, utilise and provide data effectively,
could potentially play a pivotal role in supporting and enhancing a number of key objectives and
processes of the Department and its stakeholders, such as the National Skills Strategy, the National
Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, the Framework for the new Junior Cycle Reform, the provision of
student grants and the location assessment process for new schools.
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