Ms Annette Dolan:

I do not have data in regard to the percentage of researchers from minority ethnic backgrounds. I suspect from anecdotal evidence that it is quite small because if we are to attract people from minority ethnic backgrounds into research, the first thing we need is proper terms and conditions of employment. It is a very good question, particularly when we talk about the social dimension of higher education and the fact we are signed up to the Rome communiqué. The next communiqué following that will be the Tirana communiqué. The social dimension was an integral part of the last Rome communiqué, which is about the Bologna process and standardisation across all of the Bologna process countries, and the social dimension was set out in Annex II to that communiqué. It is very important to ensure the social dimension is reflected in this Bill. It is also important that there is a balance of funding, as I said earlier, between the basic research, the blue skies research and then the broader type of research that is now being funded by SFI. Particularly for individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds, individual research is very important.