Mohill Enterprise Centre
The Irish primary education sector consists of state-funded primary schools, special schools and private primary schools. State funded schools include religious schools, non-denominational schools, multi-denominational schools and Gaelscoileanna.
The secondary-level education sector comprises secondary, vocational, community and comprehensive schools. All of these schools provide the Certificate courses prescribed by the Department of Education and Science, enter their students for the same national examinations and are subject to inspection by the Department.
Secondary schools, which educate approximately 55 per cent of second level students, are privately owned and managed. The majority are conducted by religious communities and the remainder by Boards of Governors or by individuals.
Vocational schools and community colleges educate over 29 per cent of all second level students, are administered by vocational education committees which are statutory bodies set up under the Vocational Education Act, 1930.
Community schools are managed by Boards of Management representative of local interests. These schools offer a broad curriculum embracing both practical and academic subjects. They also provide facilities for adult education and community development projects. These schools are entirely funded by the State through the Department of Education and Science.
Further education programmes are run by a wide range of both public and private colleges and institutions and lead to awards validated by the Irish government's awards agency - Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), as well as awards validated by a range of Irish, UK and other international awarding bodies. In addition, a number of Irish semi-state agencies are involved in providing industry specific training. The two main such agencies are : FÁS and Failte Ireland. FÁS - the Training and Employment Authority - runs a wide range of training schemes and is responsible for apprenticeship training in Ireland. Failte Ireland - the national tourism agency - provides courses in tourism and catering.
The third level education system in Ireland is broad in scope and encompasses the university sector, the technological sector, the colleges of education and private, independent colleges. The institutions which fall within the first three groupings are autonomous and self governing, but substantially state funded.