This report is timed to coincide with the holding of the conference of the European Evaluation Society in Dublin in October 2014. This bringing together of those involved in evaluation across Europe and wider afield provides an opportunity to reflect on the state of evaluation practice in Ireland at this time.
In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy makers and the wider public.
We welcome any comments or feedback you might have on the report.