Alan Barrett to lead ESRI

Professor Alan Barrett has been appointed as the new Director of the Economic and Social Research Institute. Barrett is currently Head of the ESRI’s Economic Analysis Division, an adjunct Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin, and a member of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. He previously led the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing at Trinity and also worked at the Department of Finance.

He will take up his post later this year, succeeding Frances Ruane (also pictured) who has been Director since 2006. Barrett commented: “I look forward to continuing the work of Professor Ruane in advocating strongly for evidence-based policy-making. The ESRI has built up a diverse range of strengths and capabilities, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to produce independent research of the highest quality.”

The Chairman of the ESRI’s Council, Laurence Crowley, paid tribute to Ruane for “outstanding leadership” over the last eight years, which has seen the institute build and broaden its research capacities. Crowley added: “This has allowed the institute to develop new research programmes and engage strategically with government departments and state agencies to provide evidence to inform policy in Ireland.”