The studies which emanate from the Centre for Longitudinal Studies in Ireland, which was launched in Dublin yesterday, will be “absolutely invaluable”, according to President Michael D Higgins who spoke at the event.
Mr Higgins said the establishment of the centre for long-term research was a “very important and significant event in the history of the social sciences” in Ireland.
“I think a very high price has been paid in Irish social science for the neglect of anthropology,” he said, pointing to Irish migration as an example.
“It makes its own comment that we know more about Irish migration from literature, short stories and novels, than we do in fact actually know from social science.”
Mr Higgins said there was no comparison between “a shot taken at a particular time and a good longitudinal study. It not only enables comparisons but it enables new, intuitive interpretations of the data.”
Dr Patrick Prendergast, provost of Trinity College, and Prof Frances Ruane, director of the ESRI, also spoke at yesterday’s event which took place in the Science Gallery on Pearse Street, Dublin
Prof James Banks of the University of Manchester gave the inaugural lecture on the theme Improving Knowledge and Policy: The Importance of Longitudinal Analysis.