The minimum wage in Ireland increased every year from 2016 to 2025. We investigate whether these minimum wage increases led to a higher likelihood of minimum wage employees becoming unemployed or inactive. To do this, we implement a difference-in-differences methodology that compares the changes...

Ageing populations and the resulting pressures on health and social care systems as well as social security systems are causing disability prevalence to be an increasingly salient issue in Northern Ireland (NI) and Ireland, as well as in many other developed societies. A greater understanding of...

This year, the Subnational B-READY series covers 66 cities across six EU Member States - Czechia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Spain - covering 64 European regions. In Ireland, Subnational B-READY covers five cities in five regions at the NUTS3 level: Cork (South-West), Dublin (Dublin),...

Cost rental, or rental housing at non-market prices, is a new feature of the Irish housing system. Introduced as part of the Affordable Housing Act in 2021, this new tenure aims to lower the lifetime cost of renting by linking rents to economic cost, as well as providing long-term security of...

This report provides an up-to-date assessment of the scale and distributional impact of tax relief on public, occupational, and private pension contributions in Ireland. Using SWITCH, the ESRI's tax-benefit microsimulation model, we quantify the cost of tax relief under the current...

We examine the labour market, welfare receipt and health effects of a reform to the Irish State Pension system which increased the age at which some workers could claim a State Pension. We use longitudinal data on ageing in Ireland and a causal identification strategy based on the random date of...

Biomethane is gaining traction as a possible renewable alternative to fossil gas. Due to its interconnection with food and waste systems and the decentralised nature of its production it is a complex energy source that should be considered within the broader energy-environment-society nexus it...

The current report presents findings of a research project that explored attitudes towards welfare and redistributive policies among Irish residents. Public support for the welfare state is an important foundation for democratic governments to pursue the policies needed to alleviate poverty in...

This report investigates how the Irish housing transaction system influences buyer and seller behaviour. Drawing on behavioural science, it explores how cognitive biases, including auction fever, loss aversion and ambiguity aversion, may be exacerbated by features of the Irish market. We...

We examine the labour market, welfare receipt and health effects of a reform to the Irish State Pension system which increased the age at which some workers could claim a State Pension. We use longitudinal data on ageing in Ireland and a causal identification strategy based on the random date of...

International and Irish studies have indicated negative trends in the mental health and wellbeing of young people over recent years. Indeed, the most recent wave of the Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children study shows that Ireland ranked 24 out of 36 countries on overall adolescent mental...

In this article, we compare adoption preferences for three important clean energy technologies-rooftop solar PV, heat pumps and electric vehicles using primary data from a nationally representative household survey in Ireland. The survey questionnaire explored a wide range of techno-economic,...

This paper studies how and why anti-Irish sentiment in 19th century England spills over onto jury decisions at London’s Old Bailey Central Criminal Court. We classify the (perceived) ethnicity of courtroom participants according to whether they have distinctly Irish or English surnames based...

This paper studies how and why anti-Irish sentiment in 19th century England spills over onto jury decisions at London's Old Bailey Central Criminal Court. We classify the (perceived) ethnicity of courtroom participants according to whether they have distinctly Irish or English surnames based on...

This paper studies how and why anti-Irish sentiment in 19th century England spills over onto jury decisions at London’s Old Bailey Central Criminal Court. We classify the (perceived) ethnicity of courtroom participants according to whether they have distinctly Irish or English surnames based...

Accurate measurement of rental inflation is essential for understanding housing market dynamics, informing policy, and ensuring reliable inflation statistics. This paper constructs a repeat rent index (RRI) using newly available administrative data from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB),...

In this paper, we use novel survey data to consider factors impacting the adoption and intentions to invest in artificial intelligence (AI) by Irish micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, we explore the effects of firm characteristics, barriers to adoption and...

Discrimination, defined as the unfair treatment of groups based on intrinsic characteristics, has pervasive and long-lasting consequences for the individuals who experience it. Previous research has found that individuals who experience discrimination have worsened physical and mental health...

This report, funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE), uses the Economic and Social Research Institute's (ESRI) Hippocrates model to project regional workforce requirements to 2040 for a selection of staff providing HSE primary and community care services. The professions and grades under...

This research estimates by how much the NCS reduces childcare costs for families who use formal childcare in Ireland. The cost 'coverage' of the subsidy, measured by the ratio of the subsidy to the total cost of care, is estimated using the microsimulation model, SWITCH, linked to 2022 data from...

This report provides a high-level comparison of the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland (NI) for recent years. A range of economic, socio-economic and demographic measures are used to explore similarities and differences in economic growth, living standards, general well-being and economic...

This study investigates how farmers, rural residents, and urban residents compare when it comes to perceptions and understanding of climate change, as well as willingness to make changes in their lives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study takes place in a context where there is an...

In many countries, subsidies towards higher education and financial aid to students from poorer backgrounds have reduced socio-economic status (SES) gaps in undergraduate study. The increasing importance of graduate studies that are typically more expensive may, however, provide a new avenue for...

The School Completion Programme was established in 2002 to provide support for children and young people at risk of early school leaving and is part of a suite of supports offered through the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS)1 programme. The programme is run by Tusla Education...

This report contains a case study for the Study supporting the Impact assessment of the future European Social Fund proposal. Achieving structural change: conditions for success in the areas of ESF intervention. The reform under evaluation in the current case study focuses on ensuring the...

The 1955-56 macroeconomic crisis is a central event in modern Irish history. Yet, despite this centrality, its causes are not clearly understood. In 1955-6, Ireland, which had previously followed British interest rates in lockstep as part of its fixed exchange with the latter, briefly...

The 1955-56 macroeconomic crisis is a central event in modern Irish history. Yet, despite this centrality, its causes are not clearly understood. In 1955-6, Ireland, which had previously followed British interest rates in lockstep as part of its fixed exchange with the latter, briefly...

In this paper we assess the implications of monetary policy shocks on the house price to rent ratio in the case of the Irish property market. Crucially, in light of the particular circumstances of the market, we allow for the interaction between monetary policy and changing credit conditions in...

The decline in international trade following the financial crisis suggests a shift in globalisation and a transformation of the international economic order. Protectionist trade policies have gained prominence as certain major economies increasingly implement tariffs to safeguard domestic...

The rise in inflation in recent years triggered a cost-of-living crisis, in which households' ability to afford basic necessities declined. The cost-of-living crisis disproportionately affected lower income households, with the proportion in material deprivation (i.e. unable to afford basic...

This paper describes the structure and estimation of a structural macro-econometric model of the Northern Ireland economy. We show how it can be used to assess the potential impact of economic shocks and policy changes. Specifically, we have done so by examining the effects of shocks to UK...