About us
The Evidence Synthesis Hub for Health Security Ireland brings together evidence synthesis expertise to strengthen Ireland’s health security. After first mention we call it the Evidence Hub. It is hosted at the University of Galway and funded by the Health Research Board.
What health security means
Health security means being ready to prevent, detect and respond to threats that could harm health at population level, on an all-hazards, One Health basis. These threats include infectious disease, antimicrobial resistance, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, and environmental and climate-related risks. It is not only about emergencies. It is also about preparedness, building the systems, skills and relationships needed before a crisis happens.
What evidence synthesis means
Evidence synthesis is a structured way of bringing research together. Instead of relying on a single study, it looks across the available evidence and explains what is known, what is uncertain, and where the gaps are. It includes systematic reviews, rapid reviews, living evidence summaries, qualitative evidence syntheses, evidence briefs, economic evidence and evidence on implementation.
What the Evidence Hub does not do
- It does not make Government or HSE policy decisions.
- It does not replace statutory public health advice.
- It does not provide individual medical advice.
- It does not carry out surveillance, monitoring or emergency response. It is an evidence synthesis function that serves the health security agenda.
- It does not take evidence requests from the public. Questions are commissioned through the Department of Health.
Our values
- Useful: we focus on evidence that decision-makers can use.
- Timely: we work at the pace the decision requires, while being clear about what can and cannot be answered.
- Transparent: we explain our methods, sources, assumptions and limitations.
- Collaborative: we work through a national and international network.
- Inclusive: we consider public, patient, community, equity and implementation perspectives.
Core team
Scientific Lead and Principal Investigator: Declan Devane. Further core team members to be confirmed.
Our partners (the spokes)
The Evidence Hub works through a hub-and-spoke model. Partner organisations contribute specialist evidence synthesis capacity and topic expertise, each with a named lead. Partners and named leads to be confirmed before publication.