The principal functions of the Department are outlined in its Mission Statement: "The mission of the Department of Education and Science is to provide high-quality education, which will:

* Enable individuals to achieve their full potential and to participate fully as members of society, and
* Contribute to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development.”

In pursuit of this mission, the Department has the following high-level goals:
* To promote equity and inclusion.
* To promote quality outcomes.
* To promote lifelong learning.
* To plan for education that is relevant to personal, social, cultural and economic needs.
* To enhance the capacity of the Department of Education and Science for service delivery, policy formulation, research and evaluation.

In support of these high-level goals, the Department 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.

Source: http://www.education.ie, as accessed on February 12, 2009.