DUBLIN, Ireland: A researcher will be paid 270,000 euros by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, to write a history of the department, focusing on its major achievements over the past fifty years.

An advisory group comprising current and former officials, along with independent experts nominated by the department, will oversee the research. The group will review draft chapters and guide the researcher at different stages of the project.

According to a tender issued on March 4, the department wants a history of its first 50 years, covering the period from 1918 to 1968, with the intention of publishing the work as a book.

The department said the project could make a unique contribution to the public's understanding of the period, given its important role in the early years of independent Ireland.

The researcher will be expected to produce a detailed written account of the department's first five decades, based on a careful examination of primary sources in departmental records and other relevant materials.

Tender documents state that all "reasonable" resources will be made available to assist the researcher, with total project spending potentially reaching 270,000 euros.

While the researcher will have freedom to shape the project's direction and narrative, the department has suggested several themes for consideration, including its major policies and achievements during the period.

Other possible themes include the challenges the department faced in maintaining law and order and in establishing key institutions such as An Garda Síochána and a functioning courts system in the Free State.

The advisory group is expected to meet every six months to review chapters and offer guidance. The researcher will present progress updates at these meetings. The project itself is expected to run for 30 months, followed by an additional six months for review and editing.

Once completed, the department intends to publish the book. The researcher may also take part in a public lecture and give presentations to departmental staff.

The tender states that the final book should be accessible to both specialists and general readers while still meeting academic research standards.

The procurement process is managed on behalf of the department by Research Ireland, which was established in 2024 following the merger of the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland.

The deadline for submissions is April 10, and applicants must be employed by an eligible research institution in Ireland.