Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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Before we begin, I remind members to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment, even when in silent mode. The minutes of the previous meeting have been agreed.

On behalf of the committee, I welcome Professor Daniel Carey, chair of the board of the Irish Research Council, IRC, Professor Philip Nolan, director general of Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, Mr. Tim Conlon, head of policy and strategic planning at the Higher Education Authority, HEA, and Dr. Deirdre Lillis, assistant secretary at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The officials are here to brief us as part of our pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the research and innovation Bill 2023.

The format of the meeting will be that I will invite Professor Carey, Professor Nolan, Mr. Conlon and Dr. Lillis to make brief opening statements, in that order, to be followed by questions from members of the committee. Given the time constraint of having only one hour for the meeting, each member will have a five-minute slot. The committee will publish witnesses' opening statements on its website following the meeting.

I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. Witnesses should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or engage in speech that is regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. If witnesses' statements are defamatory, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Following the opening statements and questions from members, I hope there will be time at the end to go back to each of the witnesses for a brief wrap-up. If there are any points they are not able to address in responding to members' questions, they may submit answers to the committee. I would appreciate if the witnesses were brief in their statements to allow time at the end of the session. I invite Professor Carey to begin.