Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 365: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proposed role for Mr. Barry McSweeney with regard to the proposed new energy research council; the proposed structure and function of the new council; the statutory authority, budget, staffing and board structures of the council; and if it is envisaged that Mr. McSweeney's position within the new council will be an administrative or policy-making one. [35748/05]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 366: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason the work to be carried out by the proposed energy research council has not been incorporated within the remit of either Sustainable Energy Ireland or Science Foundation Ireland both of which have the necessary research expertise and administrative systems and statutory regulations to allow them oversee the work to be undertaken by such a council. [35749/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to answer Questions Nos. 365 and 366 together.

The proposed role and function of the proposed energy research council relates to improving the institutional arrangements for co-ordinating energy research and in particular to see that there is an appropriate balance between short-term and long-term research and between research that responds to known needs and research that may lead to niche opportunities for Ireland. It should also guide Ireland's links to, and participation in, EU research programmes on energy. It should monitor the capacity of the third level education sector to provide the types of skills that will be needed in the new energy paradigm. I have been considering all available options for supporting the work of the council, including those mentioned in the question, for several weeks and I have concluded that it can best be done within my Department.

Barry McSweeney is being appointed as research co-ordinator at my Department to progress the sectoral research and development priority areas of energy, marine, ICT, digital and geoscience. The research co-ordinator will work closely with the Department and its agencies in contributing to the development of appropriate multi-annual strategies across these research and development areas. As part of the departmental team he will interact as appropriate with the work of the proposed energy research council.