National Clinical Guidelines aim to provide guidance and standards for improving the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of healthcare in Ireland. They aim to promote healthcare that is current, effective and consistent, ensuring best outcomes for patients and people using services. To achieve this, they must be based on the best available scientific evidence of clinical benefits, cost-effectiveness, and they must consider the budget impact of their implementation.

The National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) is a committee appointed by the Minister for Health and made up of representatives from various interested parties from healthcare in Ireland, which provides a framework for developing clinical guidelines. Through the NCEC, the Minister for Health in Ireland approves clinical guidelines and clinical audits as National Clinical Guidelines and National Clinical Audits. These are then implemented in the public healthcare system by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The role of CICER is to independently review evidence and provide scientific support for the development, by guideline development groups, of National Clinical Guidelines. CICER undertakes systematic reviews of the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of interventions included in the guidelines, as well as estimating the budget impact of implementing the guidelines. CICER works closely with the guideline development groups by:

• providing tailored training sessions; 
• assisting in the development of clinical questions and search strategies; 
• performing systematic reviews of international clinical guidelines and 
• supporting the assessment of their suitability for adaption to Ireland; and supporting the development of evidence-based recommendations within the National Clinical Guidelines. 

CICER also aims to build capacity and drive innovation in the evidence synthesis and methodological research communities through national and international collaborations.