Perspectives on education policy-making in Ireland, 1990–2025

This article examines the trajectory of education policy formulation in Ireland over recent decades, presented as three perspectives by individuals with unique insights and experiences in the field. The first section utilises critical policy analysis to investigate both internal and external influences on policy development and enactment since 1990, emphasising how dominant power structures have shaped policies to serve particular interest groups. This section is authored by a former second-level teacher, now an academic working in the area of education. The second section offers reflections from a former Minister for Education and research economist. It examines the strengths and shortcomings of the existing system and proposes a pragmatic approach to accelerating the policy-making process. The third section, written by a former principal of a school in the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) Programme, critiques the enactment of policy at the school level, highlighting the practical challenges of translating policy into practice. Together, these perspectives aim to illuminate the complex relationship between the architecture of policy, the policy-making process, and policy enactment in context.