Assistant Secretary for Corporate Services

Responsibility at Assistant Secretary level for the following areas:

Corporate Services Unit is an internal support service managing resources for the achievement of the department’s strategies, ensuring compliance with a number of governance obligations and improving corporate policies, procedures and outcomes. It also has a co ordinating role in standardising governance and accountability oversight across the education sector.

The Finance Unit provides a financial framework and control system for the department in accordance with government financial and statutory requirements. The unit operates a system for recording all receipts and payments in conjunction with the Pay Master General and the Central Bank. It coordinates the annual expenditure Estimates process for the department and prepares the Statutory Vote accounts and briefing material for the appearance of the Secretary General at the Public Accounts Committee.

The Data Compliance and Support Unit supports the department in being compliant with data and information regulations (FOI, Records Managment, GDPR and the Data Protection Act) and provides corporate support services to business units on these matters generally. It also leads the implementation of many elements of the department's Data Strategy.

Corporate Programme Office provide strategic oversight of the implementation and delivery of the department’s objectives, primarily through annual work programmes and quarterly progress reporting. The unit is also responsible for the coordination of the department’s response to the education needs of children arriving from Ukraine and children seeking International Protection.

The International Co-operation Unit manages the department’s engagement with international partners, including the European Union, Council of Europe, OECD and UNESCO, to enhance international policy co-operation in education and training. It also has responsibility for policy development and co-ordination in the promotion of Ireland as a centre for international education.