Research Ireland launches national project to understand how people across Ireland experience research
Research Ireland has today launched the Research in Ireland Barometer 2026, a new national project designed to build a richer, more inclusive understanding of how people across Ireland encounter, engage with, and experience research in their everyday lives.
The Barometer focuses on capturing lived experience – the stories, contexts, and perspectives that shape how people relate to research. This reflects Research Ireland’s long-standing commitment to public engagement, comprising decades of nationwide outreach and education.
The Barometer will serve as a baseline for the years ahead, offering a clearer picture of how research is understood, trusted, and encountered across different communities. At the same time, it reflects an ambition to broaden participation, ensuring that people of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances can contribute.
The project will be delivered through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative insights with deeper qualitative engagement. This will allow Research Ireland to better understand not just what people think about research, but how they experience it in the decisions they make, the information they use, and the issues that matter to them.
The Barometer also includes community‑based focus groups designed to capture the lived experiences of people whose perspectives are often missing from national conversations about research. These sessions will meet participants where they are, creating space for deeper conversations about how research is encountered, understood and felt in everyday life.
Director of Research for Society at Research Ireland, Dr Ruth Freeman, said:
The Research in Ireland Barometer 2026 represents an important step in opening up conversations about research across society. It is also essential to shaping how we engage with society as a public body. Rather than focusing solely on a simple, statistical survey, we are taking a community-engaged approach to understand how people experience research in their everyday lives, from the decisions they make to the information they encounter and trust. We are actively seeking to hear from people across Ireland, including those whose voices are not always captured in traditional surveys. By listening to people’s lived experiences and meeting people where they are, we aim to build a richer, more inclusive understanding of research and ensure it remains connected to the needs and experiences of the public.
Invitation to Participate
As part of this nationwide effort, Research Ireland is inviting people across the country to take part in the Barometer project. Participation is open to anyone living in Ireland over 16 years of age. The survey will remain open for three months, with findings to be published at the end of 2026.
For information on the Barometer and to take part in the survey, click here: www.researchireland.ie/research-in-ireland-barometer
For queries on the Research in Ireland Barometer, email barometer@researchireland.ie
