The Economic and Social Research Institute is a not-for-profit company which aims to cover operating costs and to re-invest any surplus income in further research.  Total income in 2013 was €12.12 million.

The Institute receives an annual grant-in-aid from the Department of Finance to support the scientific and public interest elements of the Institute’s activities, such as:

• Publication of the Quarterly Economic Commentary and the Medium Term Review and the maintenance and development and maintenance of a macro-economic model;
• Bringing commissioned work to the scientific and academic standard required for publication;
• Methodological research;
• Publicising the ESRI’s work in conferences, seminars etc.;
• Interacting with public and professional bodies, national committees, visiting delegations (IMF, OECD etc.);
• Participation in major EU supported projects and networks by providing national co-funding;
• Dissemination of publications at an affordable cost and free-to-download via the website;

The grant-in-aid represents approximately 22 percent of the Institute’s income. The remainder comes from:

• major research programme agreements with government departments and state agencies;
• specific research projects commissioned by government departments, state agencies and international bodies such as the European Commission;
• membership subscriptions;
• sale of publications.

Independence is fundamental to the ESRI’s role. It is guaranteed by a commitment to publish all research reaching the appropriate academic standard, irrespective of which bodies or groups it might favour and the source of funding for its research. The Institute’s constitution is also designed to ensure its independence.

The ESRI has tendered for, and been awarded, research projects and studies by many Government Departments, State bodies and private organisations in Ireland. It has also worked extensively for international bodies such as the European Commission, OECD, the World Bank and the IMF.

Tax Clearance Certificate

ESRI Tax Clearance Certificate (2014)

The Economic and Social Research Trust

The Economic and Social Research Trust was incorporated in 1993 with the aim of promoting, through its funding, knowledge of economics and other social sciences and advancing research into the facts and problems of contemporary human society.

Fund raising campaigns in 1990-1995 and 1995-2000 generated a total of €5.05 million in contributions and interest of which €3.16 million has been allocated for research to date.

The Trust is a registered charity.