Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú:

The national IP protocol sets out that commercialisation may benefit higher education institutions and provide incentives to the researchers involved in creating IP. This may include protectable IP and know-how. They can make provision for higher education institutions to have a system for the sharing of income from commercialisation within the organisation, including with the relevant researchers. It is international practice that researchers may hold shares in spin-out companies. The national protocol makes it clear that higher education institutions should have policies and procedures in place that minimise or manage potential or actual conflicts of interests. They have to work within the overall framework.