The conference meets a number of times a year in Maynooth which is the location of St Patrick's College, Ireland's national seminary.

Episcopal conferences have long existed as informal entities, but were first established as formal bodies by the Second Vatican Council (Christus Dominus, 38), and implemented by Pope Paul VI's 1966 motu proprio Ecclesiae sanctae.

The nature of episcopal conferences, and their magisterial authority in particular, was subsequently clarified by Pope John Paul II's 1998 motu proprio Apostolos suos.

Individual bishops do not relinquish their authority to the conference, and remain responsible for the governance of their respective diocese.

Much of the work of the Conference is done in committees which cover issues such as laity, liturgy, family, social justice.