David Hallinan

Dr David Hallinan joined NESC as a Policy Analyst in 2023. His research interests include EU external trade and investment policy, socio-economic monitoring and evaluation, the economic and labour market impacts of artificial intelligence, and housing policy.

Since joining NESC David has worked worked on Council Report No. 165 – Towards a National Better Work Strategy, Council Report No. 169 – International Trade Dependencies and the Energy Transition, and Secretariat Paper No. 37 – Strategic Supply Chain Issues & Ireland’s Energy Transition. He is currently engaged in research on artificial intelligence, remote and hybrid work, and affordable housing.

David was seconded to the Secretariat of the Housing Commission from May 2023 until May 2024 where he was tasked with supporting the members of the Commission in the preparation and completion of the Commission’s report.

Prior to joining NESC David was an Economic Statistician with the National Disability Authority (NDA) where his responsibilities included managing the NDA-ESRI Partnership Research Programme, the development of quantitative indicators and statistical evidence to monitor the implementation of several national strategies, conducting a socio-economic evaluation of Universal Design (UD) in the housing sector, and monitoring national compliance with the EU’s Web Accessibility Directive (WAD).

Prior to working at the NDA David was an economic consultant with Grant Thornton where he worked in areas such as Brexit, international trade, customs compliance, and economic appraisals for major publicly funded projects.

Prior to working at Grant Thornton David was employed as a researcher by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the Economic Section of the Embassy of Japan in Ireland.

David holds a PhD from University College Dublin (UCD) where his doctoral thesis examined the International Political Economy of EU external trade and investment policy. David lectured on the MA/MSc course in International Political Economy at UCD on an Occasional Lecturer basis.

David is trained in descriptive and inferential statistics (structured PhD programme) and advanced financial modelling. He also holds an accredited certificate in International Customs Compliance from the Irish International Freight Association. In 2025 he completed the Artificial Intelligence Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

 

Email: David.Hallinan@nesc.ie

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/david-hallinan-phd-42a54b18

 

Selected Work

Secretariat to Project – National Economic & Social Council (2024), International Trade Dependencies and the Energy Transition, NESC Council Report No. 169. Dublin: National Economic & Social Council.

Hallinan, D. (2025), Strategic Supply Chain Issues & Ireland’s Energy Transition, NESC Secretariat Paper No. 37. Dublin: National Economic & Social Council.

Secretariat to Project – National Economic & Social Council (2024), Towards a National Better Work Strategy, NESC Council Report No. 165. Dublin: National Economic & Social Council.

Contributor – National Disability Authority (forthcoming), Cost Benefit Analysis of Universal Design Homes, Dublin: National Disability Authority.

Hallinan, D., O’Reilly, R. & Craddock, G. (2024), ‘Universal Designed Homes: Social Value and Economic Benefits’, Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 320, pp. 199–206.

Contributor – National Disability Authority (2021), Moving In, Moving On: An evaluation of the outcomes and costs of congregated and community models of service in the disability sector. Dublin: National Disability Authority.

Gaughan, P., Hallinan D. & Reilly, K. (2019), ‘Using Economic Cost Benefit Analysis Methodologies to underpin the sustainability and strategic planning of Coastal Ocean Research Infrastructures in Europe’, OCEANS 2019, pp. 1–8.

Hallinan, D. (2016), ‘The EU–China Bilateral Investment Treaty: A challenging first test of the EU’s evolving Bilateral Investment Treaty model’, China–EU Law Journal, 5(1–2), pp. 31–53.

Hallinan, D. (2015), ‘Approaching Credibility: The EU as a Political Actor and Strategic Partner in Northeast Asia’, Irish Studies in International Affairs, 26, pp. 187–205.

 

Technical Groups & Committee Membership

• Member of ‘A Just Transition for Housing’ (EPA) Project Steering Committee
• Member of ‘Understanding Irish people’s attitudes, beliefs and values related to climate change’ (EPA) Project Steering Committee
• Member of Health Research Board (HRB) National Ability Support System (NASS) Advisory Committee
• Member of Department of Social Protection (DSP) Technical Advisory Group on Social Inclusion
• Member of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Expert Group on Statistical Modelling
• Member of ‘Moving In, Moving On: An evaluation of the outcomes and costs of congregated and community models of service in the disability sector’ (NDA) Scientific Advisory Committee