Research

Since 1987, the department’s research programme has played a central role in informing national anti-poverty strategies and actions plans for social inclusion.

The department’s research and policy analysis responsibilities are met by in-house staff with relevant expertise and by externally funded research.

The Division also consults with a technical expert group made up of a range of stakeholders, including other government departments and social partners.

On behalf of the department, the Social Inclusion Division provides information based on research and policy analysis to inform policy decisions.

The research aims of the Division are to:

• provide information and research evidence with regard to poverty impacts, as required, on policy proposals and draft policy and strategy initiatives
• provide technical support to relevant government departments on the distributive and poverty impacts of budgetary proposals and policy measures
• carry out in-house qualitative and quantitative research, as required
• provide information and analysis on policy issues
• produce both written and oral briefs for policy colleagues and ministers, based on reviews of research evidence
• manage the ESRI Research Programme
• manage the DSPRIA Programme

The department has a two-year research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) for the Measurement and Analysis of Household Income and Living Conditions (MAHILC).

This analysis is largely based on data from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) conducted by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The outputs of this research programme typically include:

• annual thematic reports with analysis of poverty trends
• technical papers on specific poverty indicators or aspects of poverty measurement

The research is published and disseminated at national research seminars and conferences.

See Social Inclusion Publications and Events for more information.

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Research Innovation Awards (DEASPRIA) was introduced in 2010.

The DEASPRIA programme aims to promote innovative, policy-relevant poverty and social inclusion research that complements the ESRI research programme and contributes to the department’s understanding of key policy questions.

The awards are administered by the Irish Research Council (IRC) on behalf of the department through the Research Projects Grant Scheme.

To date, five social policy research projects have received DEASPRIA funding along with three social policy workshops.

• DEASPRIA Research Projects
• DEASPRIA Social Protection Policy Workshops