Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Growing Up in Ireland, the national longitudinal study of children established in 2006, is the flagship research project of my Department and represents a very significant investment by the State in high quality research and data on the lives of children, young people and their families. The study provides a unique national bank of data to inform and evaluate policy across Government and the wider public sector, on a wide range of issues relevant to children, young people and their families, and is an important and widely used resource for researchers to understand and provide insights on the lives of children and young people in Ireland.

Since January 2023, the Growing Up in Ireland study is conducted directly by my Department and the Central Statistics Office. My Department is responsible for the research and policy aspects of the study and the Central Statistics Office for the data collection.

Prior to January 2023, the study was carried out by a consortium of researchers led by the Economic and Social Research Institute and Trinity College Dublin. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth was the sponsor.

The study now includes three cohorts of children. Cohort ’98 who were born in 1998 and are now 25 years of age and Cohort ’08 who were born in 2008 and are now 15 years of age. In June 2022, government approval was received for a third birth cohort, Cohort ‘24 – who will be 9 months old in 2024.

The CSO is currently interviewing the Cohort ’98 young adults at age 25 and is expected to conclude in Q1 2024.

Cohort '08 will be interviewed in 2025 at age 17. My Department has consulted with a wide range of stakeholders and young people to identify priority areas for data collection.

The pilot phase for Cohort ’24 began in October this year and marks the first time since 2008 that new families and children have been selected to be interviewed. The establishment of the new cohort, gives effect to the commitments in First 5, a Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families 2019-2028 to consider the value of a new birth cohort and to improve data on the lives of babies and young children.

The Growing Up in Ireland annual research conference was hosted by my Department in November this year and was attended by delegates from a wide range of research, practice and policy backgrounds, all focused on the improvement of the lives and well-being of children and young people in Ireland. Research presentations explored a wide range of topics including volunteering, self-harm, bullying, gambling, the impact of the pandemic, lone parent benefit reform, pregnancy complications, educational transition and childhood and adolescent mental health issues.

My Department commissions and undertakes research using Growing Up in Ireland data and promotes its use across Government Departments, agencies, other stakeholders and the research community. Further information can be found at: www.growingup.gov.ie/