Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in to us this morning. We could spend all day speaking about this but unfortunately we do not have all day. This morning the committee heard from another group of guests about the importance of creating the ecosystem of research and of ensuring that research being undertaken is not only focused on any economic benefit at the end, so that balance and parity are being struck. I fundamentally agree with Ms Dolan when she said that cannot happen without researchers. It is not going to happen without researchers. If we get the legislation correct, if we get the make-up of the board correct and we still do not have those people coming in to do research, what are we at and what was the point of it all?

My question for Mr. Ahmed is what are his peers saying to him of their future intention around research? Going back to the make-up of the board, how important is it that there is a strong voice on behalf of researchers on it?