Professor Peter Clinch:

The crucial place to start is around research ethics. There is a national policy statement on research integrity, which was developed by the national research integrity forum, of which Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, is a member. That sets out best practice in regard to approaches to research but also in the mechanisms for research undertaken in the higher education institutions, HEIs. SFI has a very clear policy on how to deal with that, and in its assessment and evaluation of programmes, as I understand it, it takes it into account, but it certainly will while I am chairman.

That is specified in the terms and conditions of all of the contracts. It has also developed more assurance programmes in that area. In fact, while there are very robust policies in place, the Deputy has pointed out that it is a very fast-changing world, so the organisation will have to adapt continually. It may have a policy but I am sure it will have to adapt the policy, as new areas develop, in terms of the ethics around the use of data and personal data. While SFI has a very strict mandate around science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, nevertheless it has the ability to fund related research as part of a project that will focus more on the human aspect, perhaps in areas such as behavioural science, which can help us ensure we have the sort of knowledge and know-how to ensure that the research innovation that comes out of the projects will be used for the benefit of society and implemented effectively, and that we have the mechanisms to allow that to happen. That sort of funding, while not directly funded on its own, can be funded as part of an overall project. That is critical as well, that we fund complementary research that sits alongside the STEM research to ensure that we avoid the sorts of problems to which the Deputy referred.