The General Scheme of the Research and Innovation Bill forms a key part of Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy. Its main purpose is the formation of a new competitive research funding agency through the amalgamation of the functions and activities of Science Foundation Ireland the Irish Research Council. This represents a significant opportunity for all of us to reflect on the huge importance of research in Irish society and to further stimulate the creativity of that research.
The Heads of the Research and Innovation Bill provide that the new agency will have a board consisting of 12 members, including a chair. While I, as the Minister, will make the appointments to the board, members will be selected through a transparent Public Appointments Service process. This will ensure that the board consists of persons who have sufficient experience and expertise relating to matters connected with the functions of the new agency to enable them to make a substantial contribution to the effective performance of the agency. The agency will be compliant with the Code of Practice for State Bodies and the Guidelines for Appointment to State Boards.
The State’s financial resourcing of the agency will be, as is accepted practice, a matter for the annual Estimates process. It will be the responsibility of the agency to disburse its funding in accordance with the highest standards and norms, as part of the competitive processes it will oversee. The Heads of Bill provide an ongoing mechanism for me, as the Minister, to issue policy directions to the agency, in line with norms for other public sector agencies. This does not mean that I, or any other Government Minister, will be able to issue directions in terms of the awarding of research funding.
A programme of stakeholder consultation has been taking place since the development of Impact 2030 and was integral to the development of that whole-of-government strategy on Irish research and innovation. A number of formal structures have emerged to ensure the implementation of the strategy and these are playing an important role in supporting the establishment of the new agency. It is also important to note that the pre-legislative scrutiny process is currently ongoing, as managed by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and provides an avenue for consultation on the Heads of the Research and Innovation Bill. Furthermore, consultation with wider stakeholders, with particular regard to the research and innovation community, is being prepared in order to seek feedback on the operationalisation of the functions of the new agency and to keep them informed about progress. It is foreseen that this will be led by the CEO Designate of the agency, who will be appointed as soon as possible to assist the Department in undertaking the significant transitional and operational programme of work required to establish the agency. The Department will also continue its normal dialogue with external stakeholders on the research agenda as the Research Bill proceeds, including consultation as appropriate.
