Department Of Education Tullamore
Tullamore is a town in County Offaly, in the midlands of Ireland. It is Offaly’s county town and is located in the centre of the county. It is the fourth most populous town in the midlands region with a population of 14,607 in the 2016 census.
Tullamore was designated a ‘gateway’ town, along with Mullingar and Athlone, in late 2003 by the Irish Government, making it eligible for increased infrastructural investment. The town retained Gold Medal status in the National Tidy Town Awards in 2015 and also played host to the World Sheep Dog Trials in 2005 which attracted international interest in the region. The Tullamore Show is held near the town every year.
The town’s most famous export is Tullamore Dew – an Irish whiskey distilled by Tullamore Distillery – that can be traced back to 1829. The original distillery shut down in the 1954, with the brand later being resurrected and produced at the Midleton Distillery, in Cork. However, the brand’s new owners, William Grant & Sons, invested in a new distillery near Tullamore, bringing whiskey production back to the town in 2014.
Action Plan for Education
Ireland already has a top 5 position in Europe in several important spheres (for example, post-primary literacy, third level participation, take up of STEM at third level) and a top 10 position in others (educational attainment, innovation, low dropout from school).
Being the lead in Europe means an ambition to be the best at:
- Harnessing Education to break down barriers for groups at risk of exclusion
- Delivering a learning experience to highest international standards
- Equipping learners of all ages and capacities to participate and succeed in a changing world
- Allowing Ireland to be a leader across a broad range of fields, scientific, cultural, enterprise and public service
Excellent and innovative education and training are the pivot around which personal fulfilment, a fair society and a successful nation should revolve. It is central to sustaining economic success and in converting economic success into building a strong community.
The Action Plan five goals:
- Improve the learning experience and the success of learners
- Improve the progress of learners at risk of educational disadvantage or learners with special educational needs
- Help those delivering education services to continually improve
- Build stronger bridges between education and the wider community
- Improve national planning and support services
The Action Plan will be implemented across 2016-2019, with timelines and lead responsibility assigned. At the start of 2017, and in each subsequent year, we will publish an updated annual Action Plan for Education which will contain further actions to be implemented in that year. Publication of quarterly implementation reports and continuous consultation with stakeholders and members of the Oireachtas will remain central to the process.