---
title: "Health Research Board"
chunk: 1/1
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Research_Board"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:34:47.090763+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

The Health Research Board (HRB) is a government agency responsible for funding, co-ordination, and oversight of medical research in Ireland.


== History ==
In 1986, the Government of Ireland amalgamated the Medical Research Council of Ireland and the Medico-Social Research Board to establish the HRB under the Health (Corporate Bodies) Act 1961 and statutory instrument 279 of 1986. The HRB's original headquarters was at 73 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2. In July 2014, the board relocated to Grattan House, 67-72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2.


== Chairs of the HRB ==
Dr WA Watts 1987 - 1989
Professor MX FitzGerald 1990 - 1997
Professor MB Murphy 1997 - 2002
Professor Hugh R. Brady 2002 - 2003
Professor D Fitzgerald 2003 - 2007
Mr Reg Shaw 2007 - 2012
Dr Declan Bedford 2012 - 2017
Professor Jane Grimson 2020 -


== Chief Executives of the HRB ==
Lt Comdr EJ Furness and Mr J O'Gorman 1987 - 1988 (jointly, in caretaker roles)
Dr JV O'Gorman 1988 - 1998
Dr R Barrington 1998 - 2007
Dr Hamish Sinclair 2007 - 2008 (acting)
Mr Enda Connolly 2008 - 2014
Dr Graham Love 2014 - 2017
Dr Darrin Morrissey 2018 - 2020
Dr Mairéad O'Driscoll 2020 - 2025
Dr Gráinne Gorman 2025 - present


== References ==