Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It draws on a very wide range of research across the world in terms of comparators. It also uses the longitudinal studies and all of the material available in Ireland, whether that is from Pobal, the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, or other sources of research. It has done a great deal of work in early years, for example, which would not necessarily be under the Department of Education and Skills as most of it is under the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, as is the school completion programme. It does a great deal of that general research that gathers data from a number of Departments and a number of other sources.

It has a level of independence as well in deciding what to do. Obviously, it does some things pro formain terms of PISA and so forth, but it can initiate other things in research that it considers to be important for society. It also represents Ireland in respect of international research.