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Background Notes

Background Notes

CSO statistical publication, , 11am
The CSO, through Ireland's Institute for SDGs (IIS), supports reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals.
 

 

Data Sources and Additional Information

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are a set of global development targets adopted by the United Nations (UN) member countries in September 2015 to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The UN SDGs are driving the global development agenda towards Agenda 2030.

The Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan 2018-2020 was in direct response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and provides a whole-of-government approach to implement the 17 SDGs. Ireland’s Second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals 2022-2024 reviews the progress made towards each of the 17 Goals - whether in Ireland or at an international level - showcasing case studies that can help guide us towards best practice. It focuses on the need to fully integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into our thinking and our action across the full spectrum of policy-making and delivery – how to capture the good work already underway, and how to inform and educate ourselves as to what more can be done. 

This release for Goal 4 Quality Education 2024 has 12 SDG indicators which are divided into 3 main chapters: Childhood Education, Adult Education and Education Infrastructure.

Childhood Education

SDG 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex is published by the Educational Research Centre.

SDG 4.1.2 Completion rate (Primary education, Lower secondary education, Upper secondary education) is published by the Department of Education.

SDG 4.2.1 Proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being by sex shows data from the second in a series of key findings from the second round of interviews with the Infant Cohort in Growing Up in Ireland Study.

SDG 4.2.2 Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex is published by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).

Adult Education

SDG 4.3.1 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex is based on data from the CSO's Adult Education Survey and the Department of Education retention rates in post primary school.

SDG 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill is published in the CSO Internet Coverage and Usage in Ireland 2024 and Digital Consumer Behaviour 2024 reports.

SDG 4.5.1 Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data cecome available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated is reported by UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).

SDG 4.6.1 Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex is published in the CSO, Educational Attainment Thematic Reports.

Education Infrastructure

SDG 4.7.1 Extent to which (i) Global citizenship education and (ii) Education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) National education policies; (b) Curricula; (c) Teacher education; and (d) Student assessment is outlined in the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development: ESD to 2030, co-sponsored by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), the Department of Education (DoE) and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). ESD to 2030 is aligned with UNESCO’s Framework for ESD for 2030 and has been adopted by UNESCO as Ireland's Country Initiative for ESD.

SDG 4.a.1 Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service is published in the Department of Education, Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 report.

SDG 4.b.1 Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study is reported by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

SDG 4.c.1 Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level is published in the Government of Ireland, The Workforce Plan for Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare, 2022-2028 report.

Ireland's Population Distribution

The population in each county in Ireland from the results of the 2022 Census of Population are as follows:

Table 8.1 - Population per County, 2022
CountyNumber%
Dublin1,458,15428.3
Cork584,15611.3
Galway277,7375.4
Kildare247,7744.8
Meath220,8264.3
Limerick209,5364.0
Tipperary167,8953.3
Donegal167,0843.2
Wexford163,9193.2
Kerry156,4583.0
Wicklow155,8513.0
Louth139,7032.7
Mayo137,9702.7
Clare127,9382.5
Waterford127,3632.5
Kilkenny104,1602.0
Westmeath96,2211.9
Laois91,8771.8
Offaly83,1501.6
Cavan81,7041.6
Roscommon70,2591.4
Sligo70,1981.4
Monaghan65,2881.3
Carlow61,9681.2
Longford46,7510.9
Leitrim35,1990.7
State5,149,139100.0
Source: CSO, Census of Population 2022
Map 8.1 - Percentage of Population by County, 2022
Map 8.2 - Percentage of Population by Region (NUTS 3), 2022

NUTS Regions

 Northern & Western NUTS2 RegionSouthern NUTS2 RegionEastern & Midland NUTS2 Region
NUTS3
Regions
Border Cavan
Donegal
Leitrim
Monaghan
Sligo
Mid-West Clare
Limerick
Tipperary
Dublin Dublin City
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
Fingal
South Dublin
South-East Carlow
Kilkenny
Waterford
Wexford
Mid-East Kildare
Louth
Meath
Wicklow
West Galway
Mayo
Roscommon 
South-West Cork
Kerry
Midland Laois
Longford
Offaly
Westmeath

Acronyms

DAFM Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine   
DCEDIY Department of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth
DEFENCE Department of Defence
DE Department of Education
DETE Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
DECC Department of Environment, Climate and Communications
DFIN Department of Finance  
DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs  
DFHERIS Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 
DoH Department of Health 
DHLGH Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage  
DoJ Department of Justice
DPENDR Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform  
OPW Office of Public Works
REVENUE Revenue Commissioners  
DRCD Department of Rural and Community Development 
DSP Department of Social Protection
DoT Department of the Taoiseach
DTCAGSM Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
DT Department of Transport

Tier Classification for Global UN SDG Indicators

All indicators data are classified by the IAEG-SDGs into three tiers based on their level of methodological development and the availability of data at the global level.

Tier Classification Criteria/Definitions:
Tier 1: Indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology and standards are available, and data are regularly produced by countries for at least 50 per cent of countries and of the population in every region where the indicator is relevant.
Tier 2: Indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology and standards are available, but data are not regularly produced by countries.
Tier 3: No internationally established methodology or standards are yet available for the indicator, but methodology/standards are being (or will be) developed or tested.