Ireland

Adult Education in Ireland sits within the broader concept of lifelong learning, and certain strands of it are also part of what we term Further Education and Training (FET).

SOLAS is the state agency responsible for FET in Ireland. Their work is guided by the FET Strategy 2026-2030 and overseen by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Another key stakeholder is AONTAS, who are the National Adult Learning Organisation of Ireland and act as a representative body that lobbies and advocates for adult and community education organisations in Ireland. AONTAS are the National Coordinator for the New European Agenda for Adult Learning (NEAAL) in Ireland.

Formal adult education is led by the 16 Regional Education & Training Boards (ETBs), with teams of Adult Education Officers, Adult Literacy Organisers, trainers and tutors.

This is supported by a network of Community Education providers who may receive funding from the ETBs, or may operate independently. Community Education plays a vital role in adult education in Ireland, reaching urban and rural communities and providing access to learning in people’s own localities.

Alongside these programmes are a huge number of NGOs who work to improve rural development, social isolation, interculturalism and more through a variety of programmes. Some NGOs provide targeted interventions to certain groups, e.g. reintegration of people after prison, support for people with disabilities, while others have a broad reach but a specific focus, e.g. environmental organisations, theatre companies.

Libraries, museums, and cultural institutions provide valuable informal learning spaces for adult learners, while Volunteer Centres and Citizens Information Centres support civic engagement through provision of information and training.