The Irish Research Council manages a suite of inter-linked research schemes, funding scholars at various career stages, from postgraduate study to senior research project-based awards. For early stage researchers these include the Government of Ireland Post-Graduate Scholarships and Government of Ireland Post-Doctoral Fellowships, which fund research at pre- and post-doctoral levels, and the Research Development Initiative Scheme, which allows researchers and research teams to expand their activities into new research areas by way of stimulus project grants and knowledge transfer initiatives.

For established academics the Government of Ireland Research Fellowships and the Government of Ireland Senior Research Fellowships offer research opportunities for members of the academic staff of recognised higher education institutions to undertake stated projects. The Government of Ireland Research Projects Grants Scheme funds world-class, innovative research undertaken on an extended or group project basis. The Irish Research Council manages and monitors all awards funded under these schemes on a bi-annual basis.