Economic and Social Research Institute
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| Limited Company | |
| Genre | Economic and Social Research |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Headquarters | Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland |
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Area served
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Ireland |
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Key people
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Padraig McManus, Chairman; Alan Barrett, Director |
| Products | Economic and Social Research that informs Public Policymaking and Civil Society |
| Website | ESRI website |
The Economic and Social Research Institute is an independent research institute founded in 1960 to provide evidence-based research used to inform public policy debate and decision-making. The research of the Institute focuses on the areas of sustainable economic growth and social progress. Alan Barrett is the Director of the Institute.
The Institute was founded in 1960 by a group of senior academics and public servants, led by Dr. T.K. Whitaker, Secretary of the Department of Finance. While conducting an economic study of Ireland, Whitaker became aware of the necessity for an independent research organisation to conduct analysis of data using up-to-date quantitative techniques in order to make the data useful for public policy makers. The U.S.-based Ford Foundation provided seed funding to establish the Economic Research Institute in 1960. In 1966 the remit of the Institute was expanded to include social research and the name changed to Economic and Social Research Institute. The first Director of the Institute was Roy C. Geary, Irish statistician and founder of the Central Statistics Office.
The mission of the Institute is to produce economic and social research that informs public policymaking and civil society, in order to achieve its vision of “Informed policy for a better Ireland”. The institute makes significant contributions across its 12 designated areas of research: macroeconomics; internationalisation and competitiveness; energy and environment; communications and transport; labour markets and skills; migration, integration and demography; education; taxation, welfare and pensions; social inclusion and equality; health and quality of life; children and young people; and behavioural economics.
Since 2006, the Institute has conducted the research for Growing Up in Ireland, a national longitudinal study of children and youth, funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The most significant study of its kind ever to take place in Ireland, the purpose is to examine how children in Ireland are developing in the current social, economic and cultural environment. The second phase of this study began in 2015 and is conducted in conjunction with researchers from Trinity College Dublin.
The Economic and Social Research Institute and Trinity College Dublin agreed to a strategic partnership in July 2010. The agreement enables both institutions to build collaborative and complementary strengths in the social sciences.
The ESRI has been noted for its strength in quantitative research methods. It is listed by IDEAS/RePEc among the top 20 economic think tanks in the world.
The Institute’s research is disseminated through ESRI publications, academic journals, books and government reports. The Institute has a number of regular publications, including the following:
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