Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is important that they would not be prohibitive. As I say, I believe there are a number of NGOs. NGOs are carefully and strictly monitored in terms of the charities regulation, etc. I do not have the same concern in relation to participation. Having worked in the past for a very small NGO where I had a budget of €17,000 a year, even what seemed like small fees for others would have been a very significant fee for me in that context. I had approximately €3,000 of flexible funding within it. Everything was strictly accounted for. That is why I am conscious of it.

In the academic work, for instance, we will be aware of the undervaluing of many PhD researchers and others who may have a real and relevant expertise. For example, I have highlighted some researchers within UCD, such as Dr. Abeba Birhane, who have done important work in tackling considerable databases of information and considerable areas of problem in terms of the databases, for example, at MIT, that are used to train algorithms, but there is a number of persons like that who may not be in a position to pay large fees.It would be terrible to lose that expertise. It would be a problem if we were to find that some of those most directly motivated and skilled in public service and expertise in this area were not able to apply because of the fees or it became costly. It is a reasonable amendment to simply say that they should not be prohibitive. I accept that the Minister of State is saying the intention is that they would be administrative, but the question is to ensure that they are not "prohibitive" and are "administrative". Will there be an assurance? Simply because it is solely administrative, it may still be prohibitive to some who might be very relevant. Perhaps the Minister of State could elaborate on that.