I am delighted to have the opportunity to present a lecture on Research and Policy Making. This topic is widely discussed internationally with an extensive international literature drawing on a range of different perspectives. The Irish literature is less extensive though the topic has received some attention at conferences and in lectures over the past decade. I believe that the topic is particularly timely given the scale of current challenges facing us today and the need to ensure that Irish society engages positively with the difficult decisions we face. For this to happen, those engaged in the policy making process need to *Ensure that people understand that tough decisions are unavoidable * Accept that tough decisions must be linked to perceived fairness * Show an awareness that they have learnt from what has happened in the past * Recognise that persistent inefficiencies in policy design and delivery are now less acceptable, and definitely unaffordable.

PUBLISHED