This statement of research priorities identifies emerging contexts, challenges, and opportunities for Irish public health. The intent of this statement is to synthesize the Department’s research priorities into one high-level document for the purposes of facilitating a clearer pathway for research into healthcare policy. In the spirit of Impact 2030: Ireland’s National Research and Innovation Strategy, this statement provides the transparency to the Department’s research needs, allowing policy and research to speak to one another more easily. The document recognises the reciprocal role that research and policy must play in shaping each other. The aim of this statement is not to dictate an exhaustive list of the types of research that should be funded; rather, it is as a signpost for research bodies and researchers looking to conduct research directly linked to public policy.

As the aim of our healthcare system is to promote health equality, the Department places priority value on research that explores underserved populations and their unmet health needs. These populations include, but are not limited to, medical card holders, non-native English speakers, Travellers, refugees, women, LGBTIQ+, children, individuals with low levels of literacy, individuals with a disability, and border and rural residents. Studies that do not focus explicitly on these groups are encouraged to use these groups for sub-category analysis to provide a broader socio-demographic picture. These categories should not exclude under addressed topics in areas such as sexual health or men’s health, where investigation into much needed areas, such as men’s mental health, are welcome.