Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 12:

In page 11, line 15, after “applications” to insert “or investigating whether recipients of funding are in compliance with conditions of funding”.

These amendments are broadly related to ensuring clarity of a provision within a section or provide better alignment between provisions within the Bill by referencing or anchoring these more closely. There is no policy change here from what we already proposed in the original Bill. Very briefly, amendment No. 12 is to section 10 and clarifies the definite role of the assessors in the process for appointment of the external assessors with regard to the review process for non-compliance with the funding award in section 42.

Amendment No. 28 is to section 35. Again, it is about ensuring clarity of provision to ensure the provisions for North-South co-operation in section 44 are captured here by inserting a reference to companies which will be needed to cover the existing programme.

Amendment No. 34 is to section 36 and is to delete lines 34 to 36 and to substitute the following, namely, that "An application may be submitted to the Agency on behalf of an applicant by an employee of the applicant or, as may be appropriate, a person who is a registered student (or who intends to register as a student) of the applicant.”. This is just to provide greater clarity on the respective roles in the application process of the principal or lead investigator and the sponsoring institution or body. The amendments in this grouping continue in a similar vein in terms of trying to provide either clarity or better alignment between provisions in the Bill. There is no new policy in this grouping.