| Abbreviation/acronym | Full description |
| AEGIS | Adult Educational Guidance and Information Services |
| AI | Artificial intelligence |
| ALMPs | Active labour market policies |
| AUG | Adult Upgrading Grant |
| BTEI | Back to Education Initiative |
| CAO | Central Applications Office |
| CCSP | Community Childcare Subvention Plus |
| CDPT | Cross-Departmental Project Team |
| CEDEFOP | European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training |
| CEOs | Chief executive officers |
| COALESCE | Collaborative Alliances for Societal Challenges |
| CPD | Continuing professional development |
| CSO | Central Statistics Office |
| CVSE | Community, voluntary, charity and social enterprise |
| CVT | Continuing vocational training |
| CVTS | Continuing Vocational Training Survey |
| DAFM | Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine |
| DCEDYI | Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
| DEP EDU | Department of Education |
| DETE | Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| DFHERIS | Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science |
| DHLGH | Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
| DoES | Department of Education and Skills |
| DPENDPDR | Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery & Reform |
| DRCD | Department for Rural and Community Development |
| DSP | Department of Social Protection |
| DTCAGSM | Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media |
| ECS | European Company Survey |
| EfP | Evidence for Policy Unit |
| EGFSN | Expert Group on Future Skills Needs |
| EI | Enterprise Ireland |
| EQF | European Qualification Framework |
| ERC | Education and Research Centre |
| ESCO | European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations Classification |
| ESRI | Economic and Social Research Institute |
| ETB | Education and training board |
| FDI | Foreign direct investment |
| FE | Further education |
| FET | Further education and training |
| GDP | Gross domestic product |
| GNI | Gross national income |
| GVCs | Global value chains |
| HCI | Human Capital Initiative |
| HE | Higher education |
| HEA | Higher Education Authority |
| HEIs | Higher education institutions |
| HELS | Higher Education Links Scheme |
| HPWPs | High-performance work practices |
| HSE | Health Service Executive |
| ICT | Information and communications technology |
| IDA | Industrial Development Agency |
| IEA | International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement |
| IGEES | Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service |
| IIP | Investors in People |
| ILAs | Individual learning accounts |
| IRC | Irish Research Council |
| ISCED | International Standard Classification for Education |
| ISCO | International Standard Classification of Occupations |
| IT | Information technology |
| IoT | Institute of Technology |
| LCA | Leaving Certificate Applied |
| LCE | Leaving Certificate Established |
| LCVP | Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme |
| LECPs | Local Economic and Community Plans |
| LEEF | Labour Employer Economic Forum |
| LEOs | Local Enterprise Offices |
| LFS | Labour Force Survey |
| LMAC | Labour Market Advisory Council |
| LMI | Labour market information |
| MFI | Micro Finance Ireland |
| MNEs | Multinational enterprises |
| MoUs | Memoranda of understanding |
| NAA | National Apprenticeship Alliance |
| NACE | Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community |
| NAO | National Apprenticeship Office |
| NCCA | National Council for Curriculum and Assessment |
| NCPC | National Competitiveness and Productivity Council |
| NCPP | National Centre for Partnership and Performance |
| NCS | National Childcare Scheme |
| NCSE | National Council for Special Education |
| NDP | National Development Plan 2021-2030 |
| NES | National Employer Survey |
| NESC | National Economic and Social Council |
| NEET | Not in education, employment and training |
| NFQ | National Framework of Qualifications |
| NGO | Non-governmental organisation |
| NPF | National Planning Framework |
| NSAI | National Standards Authority of Ireland |
| NSC | National Skills Council |
| NSSSG | National Skills Strategy Steering Group |
| NTF | National Training Fund |
| NTFAG | National Training Fund Advisory Group |
| PDST | Professional Development Service for Teachers |
| PES | Public employment services |
| PIAAC | Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies |
| PISA | Programme for International Student Assessment |
| PLC | Post-Leaving Certificate |
| QQI | Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
| R&D | Research and development |
| R&I | Research and innovation |
| RAS | Recruitment Agency Survey |
| RPL | Recognition of prior learning |
| RD&I | Research, development and innovation |
| RSES | Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies |
| RSF | Regional Skills Fora |
| SFI | Science Foundation Ireland |
| SGI | Sustainable Governance Indicators |
| SLMRU | Skills and Labour Market Research Unit |
| SME | Small and medium-sized enterprise |
| SOG | Senior Officials Groups |
| SPAs | Strategic Performance Agreements |
| SST | Specific Skills Training |
| STEM | Science, technology, engineering and mathematics |
| ToR | Terms of Reference |
| TTOs | Technology Transfer Offices |
| TUs | Technological Universities |
| UDL | Universal Design of Learning |
| VTOS | Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme |
| WBL | Work-based learning |
