The Irish Research Council was launched in 2012. It is an agency of the Department of Education and Skills, and operates under the aegis of the Higher Education Authority. The core function of the Council is to support excellent frontiers research across all disciplines and all career stages. It places a particular focus on early-stage career researchers and promotes diverse career opportunities for researchers by partnering with employers. The Council also has a particular role in supporting research with a societal focus, and has established partnerships across government and civic society.