- Read more: Family care in Ireland: Carers, recipients and projections of need
The research projects that the need for family care in Ireland will increase by at least 49% by 2040, driven by population ageing. The report examines the characteristics of family carers and care recipients living in the community, as well as future need for family care.
- Read more: Ireland’s Childcare Problem: What We Have, and What Denmark Does Differently
This paper argues that Ireland’s recent childcare fee cuts, while helpful to many parents, are masking the real problem. Ireland still has a shortage of childcare places and an underpaid workforce that subsidies alone can’t fix. This paper uses Denmark’s guaranteed-place, publicly- funded model as a benchmark to show an alternative approach to childcare.
- Read more: Report Card 2026
The Children’s Rights Alliance has published Report Card 2026. Report Card 2026 is the first for the coalition (Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents) under the new Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future and how it performed for children and young people in 2025.
- Read more: How to address the costs of disability in Ireland?
People with disabilities in Ireland have additional costs due to disability including care, equipment, transport, medicines, and additional living expenses. This paper analyses the pathways that Ireland might take to address these costs, using international examples.
- Read more: Dying, Death and Bereavement in Ireland
The Irish Hospice Foundation has published a report “Dying, Death and Bereavement in Ireland”. The report shows that “without targeted investment and planning, Ireland is facing a potential future crisis in end-of-life care and support for people who are bereaved.”
- Read more: Annual Report 2024
The report details the significant work carried out by the Department of Social Protection during the year. In 2024, total expenditure was €26.99 billion. A €2.6 billion package of additional supports was provided under Budget 2025, aimed at easing cost-of-living pressures through a combination of lump sum payments and increases to weekly social protection rates.
- Read more: Care to college: An exploratory study on care-experienced students’ educational journeys
The Economic and Social Research institute (ESRI) published a report “Care to college: An exploratory study on care-experienced students’ educational journeys”. The report is an exploratory study by Merike Darmody. It highlights the importance of combined effects of school experiences and care experiences on the post-school lives of young people. The main finding of the…
- Read more: An analysis of Population-Based Resource Allocation for health and social care in Ireland
The Economic & Social Research Institute has published “An analysis of Population-Based Resource Allocation for health and social care in Ireland”. “The study highlights that implementing population-based resource allocation (PBRA) across the Irish healthcare system and devolving decision-making to new HSE Health Regions has the potential to significantly improve the efficient and equitable allocation of…
- Read more: Student Carers in Higher Education Institutions in Ireland: An Emerging Policy Issue
According to Census 2022 data, there are almost 300,000 people in Ireland who provide regular unpaid personal help or support to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, health problem or an issue related to age or disability (CSO, 2022). This policy paper focuses on one group of informal carers, i.e., student carers…
- Read more: European Child Guarantee: Analysing the extent to which children in Ireland have access to key services
This paper analyses the extent to which children living in low-income households in Ireland have effective (or effective and free) access to six key services, all of which are primarily or solely regulated at the national level. Our analysis shows that there are several obstacles that impede effective access to the key services, including financial…
