The education system in Ireland, which compares favorably with that of other industrialized countries, has been under pressure throughout the past 30 years. The system has had to expand post-school education and training provisions at great speed to cope with a substantial demand for university places, to create a non-university sector catering specifically to the needs of an economy in the throes of modernization, and to allocate large amounts for capital investment despite commanding fewer resources than most other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. A Ireland's educational policies reveals the significant progress that has been achieved since the 1960s. Current issues and problems include the consequences of rapid social and economic change. Several underlying constraints have weighed on the education system, such as the lack (at least until recently) of a purposeful central authority having the political will, the administrative capacity, and the requisite financial resources to formulate and implement reforms; the presence of powerful interest groups outside the government that have to be accommodated; and the structural complexity of the system itself. This three-part report is devoted to the specific problem of teacher supply and training and the priority attached to it. Part 1, the Examiner's Report, describes and discusses the Irish education system, raises issues, and identifies policy options. Part 2 provides a summary record of the review meeting that took place during the proceedings of the Education Committee when the Irish Delegation, led by the Minister of Education, Mary O'Rourke, replied to detailed questions from the examiners and Committee members. Part 3 summarizes the authoritative Background Report prepared by the national authorities in advance of the examiners' visit to Ireland. A number of tables and diagrams are included throughout the report. (CB)