Our work

Health Research Charities Ireland (HRCI) is the national umbrella organisation of charities active in health, medical and social care research, together representing over 2 million people in Ireland. Through support and advocacy, we represent their joint interests, to achieve our vision of improved lives through a united community of health research charities.

Our key activities include:

Ensuring impactful health research through PPI

Positioned at the interface of science and society, HRCI and our members have a very important role to play in patient and public involvement (PPI). We support our members in involving their patient communities in their research decision-making and in linking patient and carers with researchers.

Facilitating research funding

The Joint Funding Scheme, which we run as in partnership with the Health Research Board (HRB), has no known parallels internationally. It offers the opportunity to HRCI member charities (and only to our members) to secure matched funds from the HRB to support research of importance to their communities. To date, 151 awards have been made, representing a total investment of €25 million. There have been many important impacts for patients and the public. It also provides an excellent example of patient and public involvement (PPI), through the involvement of our many patient organisation members and wider PPI throughout the process.

Supporting our members

We assist our member organisations to maximise the benefits from their research activities. We facilitate a vibrant and supportive community, keep them up to date on developments and are there for them through every step of their research activities.

Improving the research landscape

The Irish Health Research Forum, which is run by HRCI, brings together all stakeholders nationally to positively influence health research in Ireland. The Forum considers key health research issues at two events every year and produces widely used reports and recommendations. The events are constructive and inclusive, with benefit to patients and the public being at the heart of all activities. We are supported in all Irish Health Research Forum activities by an exceptional and diverse Steering Group of leaders.

Please see the ‘What we do’ pages on our work, along with our annual reports for more detail.