Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak to the section. I am surprised that the Government has not accepted some of these suggested bodies because these are the bodies where there could be agreement, arrangements or co-operation. On some of them, I may not have been surprised, but some of the other ones I have been suggesting seem to be incredibly obvious. They are very much on the same line as bodies, such as the Heritage Council, with which the agency may partner. At the moment, the list in section 51 includes bodies such as the Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency. Why not include Coimisiún na Meán or the Heritage Council? Surely the Heritage Council is exactly the kind of body where there may be scope for research and innovation and there may be opportunities for partnerships for research and innovation. If we look at the Heritage Council and the important role it could play in research, that seems to be a body with which there should be the mechanism or capacity to make agreements.

We know Coimisiún na Meán is engaging in extensive research in that it has such huge responsibilities and one of the great areas is in digital regulation. This is an area that requires significant research because, in effect, the coimisiún is regulating bodies which themselves have huge capacity and resources for research and innovation, much of which is subsidised by the State through the knowledge development box. Coimisiún na Meán may wish to partner with the new agency to ensure that the public have research coming through which places that coimisiún on a basis to act.

The Arts Council is an area where research may be relevant. There is also the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. These are all areas where there could be very productive partnerships. There have been precedents where the IHREC has given research and administered research schemes which allowed and empowered people to engage on issues of human rights and equality. Similarly, the Arts Council is interesting in that it has areas of research and has disbursed funding for research and could be doing so in partnership with this agency. I acknowledge that the EPA is present on the list, but the Climate Change Advisory Council has another function.

Crucially, I wish to signal that I will be bringing an amendment on Report Stage in respect of local authorities. One of the areas in which we could see transformative research and innovation schemes led by the agency is with local authorities, which are the bodies operating closest to the ground. In many cases it is at local level that some of the challenges we face as a society are being experienced first and it is at local level that some of the solutions, often very innovative ones, can be developed. For example, partnerships between institutes of technology or universities and local authorities can be extraordinarily productive and drivers of innovative solutions to human problems, problems which come up when people live together. Solutions could be created which could be used in other cities, towns, villages or areas across Europe or across the world. Local authorities, as a space where ideas can actually happen and which can drive ideas and solutions, should not be neglected. I very much appeal for consideration to be given to this. Members, including Government Senators, may wish to look to this idea. I believe University College Cork has done some partnerships with the local authority in Cork around the SDGs. There are many precedents for the inclusion of local authorities as one of the potential areas where there could be an agreement or scheme in partnership with the agency. This is something which could very much make the work of the agency felt in different parts of the country, and not just in those parts of the country where there happens to be a higher education institution. I signal my intention to come back on that area.