Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 662 and 663 together.

As part of my Department’s whole of government strategic approach to drive research and innovation (Impact 2030), DFHERIS directly manages some of Ireland's EU and other international research partnerships. This is not the case with European Research Infrastructure Consortium’s (ERICs) – such as EATRIS, as it remains the Government’s position that there is a ‘bottom-up’ approach in Ireland to membership of ERICs.

This means that membership considerations are managed by the Department working in the relevant policy area, as they are best placed to make an assessment on whether a Government decision favouring membership should be sought. It is at the discretion of the relevant Department to decide on the benefits and opportunities of membership, resource participation and to secure membership in an ERIC.

The EATRIS research infrastructure is tasked with advancing research in translational medicine by connecting leading European research institutes, that dedicate part of their research and development capacities to EATRIS ERIC – sharing content, tools and knowledge related to research in translational medicine. In particular on the following:(a) biologics and advanced therapies, such as gene and cell therapies and regenerative medicine; (b) biomarkers; (c) small molecules; (d) molecular imaging and tracers; and (e) vaccines.

Given this policy position, Ireland’s translational medicine research community would ideally engage with the Department of Health on this matter in the first instance. There are currently no plans to set up an interdepartmental working group to consider this issue, and that Department would be best equipped to provide guidance on the criteria that it would evaluate when deciding on membership of EATRIS.