Our evidence to policy work focuses on strengthening the systems, capacity, and partnerships that enable research evidence to be routinely and effectively used in policy decision-making. We take a system-level approach, recognising that evidence use depends not only on the availability of research, but on the structures, skills, and relationships that connect evidence to real policy decisions.
Strengthening Evidence Support Systems
We have conducted a Rapid Evidence Support System Assessment (RESSA) of health policymaking in Ireland to understand the demand for and supply of evidence, and the coordination mechanisms that connect research to policy needs. The assessment is designed to provide timely, practical insights that can inform immediate improvements, while also identifying longer-term opportunities to strengthen coordination, responsiveness, and alignment with decision-maker priorities. This assessment is underpinned by transparent and robust methods, with full protocols available via our publications.
Building Capacity Within the Civil Service
Alongside system-level work, we collaborate with the Evidence for Policy Unit in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Civil Service Research Network to support capacity-building within the civil service. This includes the development and delivery of training aimed at strengthening skills in commissioning, accessing, and applying research evidence, helping civil servants to make confident and transparent use of evidence within policy processes.
Global Collaboration and Evidence Infrastructure
This work is aligned with international efforts to strengthen evidence synthesis infrastructure, including engagement with the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative (ESIC), a global coalition working to build shared systems, tools, and partnerships that make evidence synthesis more timely, relevant, and accessible for policy and decision-making.
Together, these activities support a more connected, responsive, and resilient evidence-to-policy ecosystem.