Network Ireland
Qualitative market research agency in Ireland
MindMarket is a market research agency that runs qualitative studies in Ireland, from in-depth interviews and focus groups to UX research and customer intercepts, with moderators who live in the country and one project manager for your whole study. Ireland has 5.32 million people and 98.9 per cent of them are online (DataReportal, Digital 2026). It shares a language with the UK, and the resemblance ends sooner than buyers expect: prices are in euro, and the banks, the broadcasters and many of the shops are Ireland's own. MindMarket runs studies in Ireland from its London office, a short flight from Dublin, with moderators who live in Ireland.
AT A GLANCE
Ireland at a glance for researchers
- Population. 5.32 million people, median age 39.0, 65.1 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). A small market: a narrow profile can mean a small pool of people, and recruitment is planned around that.
- Languages. English in every session. Irish is an official language and part of public life. Our moderators live in Ireland and share the references, the retailers and the humour.
- Internet and mobile. 5.26 million internet users, 98.9 per cent of the population, and 5.54 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Online interviews reach towns and rural areas as easily as Dublin.
- Where fieldwork happens. Dublin first, then Cork, Galway and Limerick. A third of the country lives outside urban areas, so online sessions matter for a national read.
- Data protection. The GDPR applies, with the Data Protection Act 2018 alongside it. Participants know what is recorded and who will see it before they agree to take part.
- Timing. August and the second half of December are quiet, and the bank holidays make long weekends through the year. St Patrick's Day, on 17 March, is a public holiday, and the days around it are slow.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Ireland?
Buyers often add Ireland to a UK study as two extra interviews. Irish participants notice at once when the examples, the prices and the shops in the stimulus are British.
- Not a region of the UK. Prices are in euro, the banks and broadcasters are different, and the supermarket shelves are not the same as in Britain. Stimulus made for London is adapted for Ireland before fieldwork, and Irish findings are reported on their own.
- Ask for the frank version. In a small market, people are careful about criticising an idea in front of others. Individual interviews, and a moderator who asks what a participant would tell a friend, bring out the reservations a group keeps to itself.
- Small country, known faces. In a market this size, professionals in one sector often know each other. For business audiences we recruit one by one, and competitors are not placed in the same group.
- Beyond Dublin. Dublin is richer and more international than the rest of the country. Cork, Galway and the smaller towns answer differently on price and on what feels local.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Ireland?
- We recruit through local partners in Ireland, who find the people your brief describes, in Dublin, Cork, Galway and beyond.
- Professional audiences are recruited one by one, with each profile checked before the session is booked.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Ireland?
Most studies in Ireland run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with UX research, customer intercepts or mystery shopping when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Finance, technology, health and professional audiences | Ask what would make the idea better |
| Focus groups | Concepts, brands and communications, in Dublin and one other city | British examples left in the stimulus |
| Online interviews | Audiences in towns and rural areas | Evenings fill first; book early |
| UX research | Banking, retail and public service journeys | Prices in pounds, UK addresses and UK payment options |
| Customer intercepts | Shops, venues and events, straight after the experience | Venue permission, and a short guide |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Ireland
How much does market research cost in Ireland?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Ireland added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Rare professional audiences in a small market cost more to recruit, and that moves the price more than the number of sessions. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
How do I choose a market research agency in Ireland?
Choose by what the study has to decide. An Irish institute fits a national survey or omnibus. A qualitative specialist such as MindMarket fits a brand from outside Ireland that needs local people heard in their own language, by moderators who live there, with one team across every country. Read how to choose a global qualitative research agency.
Can Ireland be covered by my UK study?
As a separate market inside it, yes. One team and one guide cover both. The stimulus is adapted for Ireland, with euro prices and Irish retailers, and Irish participants are recruited, moderated and reported on their own. See how we work in the UK.
Is Dublin enough, or should I add other cities?
Dublin is enough for a first read. For a national decision, add Cork or Galway, or online sessions with people in smaller towns: Dublin is richer and more international than the rest of the country, and price matters differently outside it.
Can you recruit business and technology professionals in Ireland?
Yes. Many international companies have European offices in Ireland, and their staff are a busy audience. We approach candidates one by one, check each profile, and schedule interviews online around working hours.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Ireland told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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