Paul has worked in research and data analysis at the National Cancer Registry since May 2000. He has a background in zoology and wildlife ecology originally (University College Cork, University of Glasgow and UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee), but moved to National Cancer Registry to compile the first all-Ireland cancer incidence report (in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry). Following this contract post, he undertook a National Cancer Institute / All-Ireland Cancer Epidemiology Fellowship during 2001-2003, based at the Registry and at the Surveillance Research Programme of the US National Cancer Institute. Since 2004, he has worked as an epidemiologist at the Registry, focusing particularly on patterns of care studies, survival analysis, and coding issues (including stage and treatment). He has published, or collaborated in, research on survival and premature mortality of cancer patients, breast cancer treatment, deprivation and cancer, and childhood cancer epidemiology, among other topics.