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

The witnesses are most welcome. We have had several engagements on this subject and they have been very positive to date. There has been great communication with the committee, which goes to show the level of interest and the desire among all stakeholders to see this Bill become the best it can possibly be.

Dr. Lillis spoke about full-spectrum research, key to which is the board make-up. Also key are the governance structures. Could she outline how the governance structures of the new statutory body will operate, particularly concerning the system of selection of members of the body overseeing the agency and whether those who will staff it will be actively involved in research?

Dr. Lillis spoke about an open and transparent process. I would expect nothing less. A key point to be considered, heard by the committee last week, is that those who are actively involved in research, or those who represent those actively involved, will tell of a very disjointed system in which the pay and conditions of researchers are not stable across the sector. Does Dr. Lillis believe those people should have a voice on the board?