Dr. Ciar?n Seoighe:

I am happy to do so. The first part of the question was on how we envisage the report's findings becoming part of policy. As the Cathaoirleach suggested, that is one of the reasons we are here and talking to policymakers. We have an obligation to faithfully represent the voice of the public. That there were 18,000 submissions means the process really meant a lot to people, so we have to represent their voice and reflect it in these conversations. It is already beginning to be reflected in changes to Government strategy and policy. Creating Our Future is already part of Impact 2030. Impact 2030 is the national strategy for research and innovation. Listening to the voice of the public was built into it. It is also built into Science Foundation Ireland programmes and our national challenge fund. It is a matter of recognising that, in meeting national challenges, we can set missions and goals based on what people tell us and then determine how to solve the problems from a top-down perspective. It is about continuing to have conversations with other policymakers. One of the great advantages in Ireland is that there is a small degree of separation between the public, researchers and policymakers. Our job is to help translate between them and make things real and accessible so what the people told us will be understood.

Very often when doing the roadshows – I did many of them personally – the conversation initially was almost one characterised by scepticism. When people were asked what they wanted the researchers to investigate, they would look at you a little strangely at first, but after a while, as the conversation evolved, they would say that what was happening was fantastic. They saw it as the Government of Ireland asking them what they would like researchers to do and what problems they would like solved. They often asked the same question the Cathaoirleach asked, that is, what we were going to do with the feedback. We promised we would take it to the committee, publish it and build it into our national strategies. In response to the second part of the Cathaoirleach's question, we do need to build the feedback into the research as well.

We are engaging with all our universities. We have made sure that all 18,000 ideas are accessible to everybody and fully transparent and available. We encourage researchers and academics to consider the 18,000 submissions in light of their own ideas on what they are already doing and also to inspire future research directions so people will say this is important to people. I would not underestimate the power of what the public is saying to inspire a researcher to solve a particular problem. Without that voice, and if it had not been put forward, circumstances would be different. We do not necessarily direct where the research should go and do not necessarily inspire researchers to go in certain directions. That is what this is about. It is a book of inspiration for researchers. It is about us, as funders and policymakers, creating and enabling opportunities and continuing to drive forward the conversation, faithfully representing the voice of the public, which we will continue to do.