Research evidence and policymaking in Ireland

The growing international literature on policymaking processes, which draws on a range of different disciplines and perspectives, emphasises the importance of governance and the use of evidence for policymaking.2 The literature on evidence for policy has been well developed in the UK, particularly in the health and education areas.3 There has been a growing emphasis on this topic in Ireland, with it getting increased attention at conferences and in lectures over the past decade.4 However, many in the relevant research community5 did not engage actively with policy-related research or with policymakers until very recently.6