Policy evaluation is an essential tool of government as it ensures that the objectives of policies and programmes are being met and that tax revenues are being well spent. In many instances, policy evaluation involves using standard counterfactual analysis to measure the impact of a programme on...

Policy evaluation is an essential tool of government as it ensures that the objectives of policies and programmes are being met and that tax revenues are being well spent. In many instances, policy evaluation involves using standard counterfactual analysis to measure the impact of a programme on...

Ireland's Probability of Exit (PEX) statistical profiling model predicts the likelihood that a claimant will still be unemployed 12 months after the day that they make their initial unemployment benefit claim. The model was initially developed by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)...

Existing research has shown that deprived areas were impacted to a greater extent by the COVID-19 pandemic in a multitude of ways but particularly in terms of the health impact. This research examines the health impact of the pandemic on people living in disadvantaged areas in Ireland. Health...

The social inclusion of children with disabilities, and in particular their inclusion in early learning and care settings, is key to maximising their wellbeing, care and future education. It is therefore vital that children with disabilities have equal access to early learning and school age...

This paper examines the impacts of the introduction of the UK National Minimum Wage (NMW) in 1999 and the introduction of the UK National Living Wage (NLW) in 2016 in Northern Ireland (NI) on employment and hours. NI is the only part of the UK with a land border where the NMW and NLW cover those...

In 2016, the Irish minimum wage increased from €8.65 to €9.15 per hour. A new ESRI study, funded by the Low Pay Commission, found that the 2016 minimum wage increase led to higher labour costs among firms with more than half of their employees on the minimum wage. However, these types of...

Evaluation and monitoring are key tools to ensuring that public monies are being effectively spent and that government-funded programmes, and initiatives, are achieving their stated goals and objectives. This report examines international best practice in evaluation and monitoring in areas...