The main aims of the Irish Family History Foundation and the common objectives of its members are:
- To provide a professional family history research service in local centres throughout Ireland. Local centres do not receive any subsidy for offering such a service so fees charged to clients fund the service.
- To provide a forum for determining common policy for local centres.
- To represent the policies and interests of local centres locally and nationally.
- To facilitate the building of databases of genealogical records in local centres, by local centres. It does not seek to hold or control any original genealogical records.
- To agree standards for building these databases.
- To agree standards for providing research services in the local centres.
- To provide training to ensure proper standards and professional service.
- To co-operate with other interested parties – state agencies, repositories, record holders, other service providers, users etc.
- To carry out promotional and marketing activities for local centres.