Evaluation of science and technology policy in Ireland

The concept of a national system of innovation has been wholeheartedly embraced in a recently published official report on science, technology and innovation in Ireland. The mechanisms for science and technology policy evaluation, particularly at programme level, contribute to, as well as fall under the scrutiny of, this broad review. This intimate association between different levels of evaluation and the development of the national system of innovation is evidence of co-evolution of the two systems. Following discussion of salient events in the development of the Irish national system of innovation, this paper examines recent and current actors, structures and activities in publicly funded evaluation of science and technology policy and programmes in Ireland. It aims to bring into sharp focus the most important and unique features of Irish evaluation activities and to ascertain the extent to which a national system of evaluation can be seen to be developing. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.