Chapter Eight examines the development of policy analysis in the civil service. Policy analysis is central to the role of the civil service at the intersection of politics and administration. In the Whitehall tradition, inherited by Ireland, civil servants were expected to be generalists with unpartisan perspectives. Recruits to the civil service came from the liberal arts rather than professional or technical backgrounds. But, the 1960s and 1970s saw the gradual emergence of the policy analysis concept. Policy analysis requires knowledge of the relevant discipline under scrutiny, some skills in quantitative analysis, combined with the more traditional policy capabilities. Throughout the chapter it is clear that a stronger evidence base is emerging to better inform policy making. A balance between generalists with broad conceptual skills and specialists with quantitative analytical skills continues to influence developments with regard to policy analysis in the civil service.