Economic and Social Research Institute

What Economic and Social Research Institute does

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), incorporated in 1960 (renamed from The Economic Research Institute in 1967), is Ireland's leading not-for-profit economic and social policy research institute. It is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and registered charity (CHY5335) with headquarters at Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, and a workforce of 101-250 employees. The Institute's core offering is independent, peer-reviewed research and policy analysis across 12 defined areas: Behavioural Science; Climate; Competitiveness, Trade and FDI; Education; Energy and Environment; Health and Quality of Life; Housing; Labour Markets and Skills; Macroeconomics; Migration, Integration and Demography; Social Inclusion and Equality; and Taxation, Welfare and Pensions. Research is delivered as publications, reports, events (conferences, webinars, seminars), and supporting data/insights, all of which are made freely available online rather than monetised as a product.

ESRI does not sell a commercial software product or platform and has no APIs, apps, or AI products. Its technology base is research methodology (statistical, survey, behavioural, and economic modelling), supported by free public distribution via its website, a media email service, and channels including LinkedIn, YouTube, and Slideshare. The Institute is governed by a Council of up to 14 members (including the Director and Chairperson) elected by a membership base of approximately 100 subscribing companies and individuals.

The revenue model rests on three streams: multi-annual government research programmes funded by Irish departments and agencies (treated as recurring subscription-style funding); commissioned research projects from government agencies on specific policy questions (professional services-style engagements); and competitive research grants from funding bodies. Publications are free of charge, and the Institute is treated as a public body for some legislative purposes and audited by the Comptroller & Auditor General. Recent commissions span animal health and veterinary research (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine), gambling behaviour surveys (Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland), and a digital skills gender gap study (Block W), alongside participation in a €460m Rinn research centres investment with 200+ industry partners commencing July 2026.

Name

Economic and Social Research Institute

Legal name

The Economic and Social Research Institute

Website

https://esri.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), founded in 1960 and based in Dublin, is Ireland's leading not-for-profit economic and social policy research institute. It produces independent, peer-reviewed research across 12 policy areas to inform Irish government departments, civil society, and the academic community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL)

Keywords

• Economic policy research
• Social policy research
• Evidence-based policymaking
• Public policy analysis
• Socioeconomic research

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: Multi-annual programmes of research funded by government departments and agencies, plus government grant-in-aid
2. Commissioned Research Projects: Research projects commissioned by government agencies and departments on specific policy questions
3. Competitive Research Grants: Competitive research grants from various funding bodies

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is Ireland's leading not-for-profit economic and social policy research institute. It produces independent, peer-reviewed research publications, policy analysis reports, and data/insights across 12 key areas (Behavioural Science, Climate, Education, Health, Housing, Labour Markets, Macroeconomics, Migration, Social Inclusion, Taxation, etc.). It also convenes events (conferences, webinars, seminars) for the Irish policy community.

Product overview

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) is Ireland's leading not-for-profit economic and social policy research institute. It is not a software product company but rather an independent research organization that produces publications, reports, and research across 12 key areas: Behavioural Science, Climate, Competitiveness/Trade/FDI, Education, Energy and Environment, Health and Quality of Life, Housing, Labour Markets and Skills, Macroeconomics, Migration/Integration/Demography, Social Inclusion and Equality, and Taxation/Welfare/Pensions. The ESRI's core offerings consist of research publications, policy analysis reports, events (conferences, webinars, seminars), and data/insights for evidence-based policymaking in Ireland. It does not offer a commercial software product or platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Publications Peer-reviewed research publications spanning 12 areas of economic and social policy, freely available online and used by policymakers, civil society, and academics.
• Commissioned Policy Research Projects Research projects commissioned by government agencies and departments on specific economic and social policy questions, delivered to the commissioning body.
• ESRI Events (Conferences, Webinars, Seminars) Conferences, webinars, and seminars that convene researchers, policymakers, and civil society to discuss and disseminate research findings (e.g., Budget Perspectives 2027, 12th International Workshop on Efficiency in Education, Health and other Public Services).
• Multi-Annual Research Programmes Multi-annual research programmes funded by government departments and agencies, plus government grant-in-aid, delivering sustained, independent research evidence on Ireland's economy and society.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2026DAFM commissioned ESRI to conduct research on animal health and veterinary care services for farmers, focusing on issues such as calf health, mastitis, biosecurity, and bovine tuberculosis.
• Block WcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership for studying digital skills gender gap in Ireland, with ESRI researchers and Block W working together on the study.
• Gambling Regulatory Authority of IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned research on gambling behaviours, with the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland commissioning ESRI's Behavioural Research Unit to survey adults on gambling patterns.
• Government Departments and AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-annual research programmes funded by various Irish government departments and agencies as core funding source
• 200+ Industry PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore than 200 industry partners involved in the €460m Rinn research centres investment, with activities beginning July 2026, leveraging €500m in additional industry funding

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: US-based global policy research institution with broad economic and social policy programmes. Comparable on multi-stream independent policy research for government clients, but significantly larger and more internationally diversified than ESRI.
• Brookings Institution: Large US policy research organisation with multiple programmes in economics, foreign policy, and governance. Comparable on independence and multi-domain policy research, but materially larger in scale and scope than ESRI.

Direct peers

• Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS): UK-based independent economic research institute focused on fiscal policy, public finances, and tax analysis. Comparable as a not-for-profit, independent policy research shop producing peer-reviewed evidence for governments, with similar reliance on multi-year programme funding.
• Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR): Network-based organisation funding and disseminating economic policy research across Europe. Comparable as a hub for economic policy research that brings together academics and policymakers, though operating across geographies.
• ifo Institut – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research: Germany's leading applied economic research institute providing policy-relevant empirical analysis. Comparable on academic independence, evidence-based policy focus, and breadth of macroeconomic/labour/tax research.
• DIW Berlin (German Institute for Economic Research): Member of the Leibniz Association producing applied economic and social policy research for German and EU audiences. Directly comparable as a multidisciplinary, publicly-funded, independent economic and social research institute.
• Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR): UK think tank producing progressive economic and social policy research with multiple research programmes. Comparable in scale (~100-250 staff equivalent), model of cross-cutting policy research streams, and government/funder mix.
• National Economic and Social Council (NESC): Irish state advisory body that analyses strategic policy issues across economic and social domains and advises the Taoiseach. Directly comparable to ESRI's economic and social policy research mandate, serving the same Irish policy ecosystem with a different (council vs. institute) governance model.
• National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER): US private, non-profit research organisation dedicated to empirical economic research. Comparable model: independent, member-driven, produces research working papers and policy analyses across multiple programmes.

Others

• Central Statistics Office (CSO) Ireland: Ireland's national statistical office producing official statistics underpinning policy research. Comparable as an Irish data producer and policy evidence provider, though official statistics rather than commissioned research — an ecosystem participant rather than competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpzRsg-0wya_ao1bvb1Q9VA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/economic-and-social-research-institute-esri-
• Xx.com/ESRIDublin

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Economic and Social Research Institute