Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 35 and 36 propose to amend section 9, which relates to the functions of the agency. The three agencies specified in the section are the core funding agencies for research and innovation, particularly in terms of education. We will be requiring a closer degree of co-operation and communication between them in terms of ensuring a more cohesive national system.

While the EPA will, of course, have a role to play, and ongoing co-operation with the Health Research Board is intended and provided for in section 51, they will not be in the order of relationships between the three specified agencies, which will need close co-operation in terms of planning and funding allocations. For this reason these amendments are not appropriate to the specific provisions and we do not propose to accept them.

Amendments Nos. 99 to 102, inclusive, deal with section 51, which relates to administrative co-operation with other bodies. This section contains a clause which gives the Minister powers to prescribe bodies to be added to the list contained here. This will provide the complete description of all agencies and bodies with which the agency will be charged to co-operate as part of a cohesive overall national research and innovation ecosystem. Work is under way to scope and map these additions. When this is completed, an order will be drafted to add the appropriate bodies to the list. For the moment we are simply including the most relevant funded research and innovation agencies and we think there is appropriate clarity in the existing provision. The preference is to do this is in an orderly and deliberate manner rather than adding elements piecemeal. The bodies referenced by the Senators will be taken into consideration when the order is being prepared, but it would not be appropriate to begin the process prior to doing the more detailed work that needs to be completed. We do not propose to accept these amendments.

With regard to amendment 102a, EU programmes are agreed every seven years under the multi-annual financial framework.