I move amendment No. 6: In page 11, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “(d) to support measures to bring an end to precarious work in the research sector and promote quality and sustainable employment for all researchers;”.

This amendment seeks to insert a new object into the Bill which would require the agency "to support measures to bring an end to precarious work in the research sector and promote quality and sustainable employment for all researchers". The issue of workers' rights in higher education and the research section more broadly is one I have been raising for a long time. In 2018, I launched TASC's Living with Uncertainty report and highlighted how prevalent insecure contracts had become in the very spaces we need to anal…

There is almost a contradiction there. The Minister of State has spoken about the pillar impact and recognising how important the people working on the careers are in that, but then he says that the agency does not have a remit. However, the Minister of State is setting up the agency. He cannot simply say the agency does not have a remit because he is establishing it. He can give the agency the remit and he has the opportunity to do this. These amendments are amendments to the objects and the functions of the agenc…

I move amendment No. 7: In page 11, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “(d) to promote the development of public research for the public good which addresses social and environmental needs;”.

Amendment No. 7 seeks "to promote the development of public research for the public good which addresses social and environmental needs". There is an error in the location in which it is proposed to insert amendment No. 8. I will speak to the general point of that amendment but might not move it. Amendment No. 9 is an alternative to amendment No. 7, which also inserts a new object into the Bill, requiring "frontier and basic research" which might serve the public good. I am conscious that some elements of the Bill …

I thank the Minister of State for engaging at least and giving consideration to those amendments. With regard to amendments No. 7 and 9, some of the language is there. I had expressed concern around the way environmental development is referred to and about how I believe it is environmental development from a very narrow perspective within the Bill. Nonetheless, perhaps it would have been a good opportunity because there is, of course, an amendment already that goes back to the Dáil debate. It is a pity the opportu…

I move amendment No. 9: In page 11, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “(f) to support and promote frontier and basic research for the public good;”.

I move amendment No. 10: In page 11, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “(f) to support and promote parity of esteem between disciplines;”.

I move amendment No. 11: In page 11, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “(f) to support and promote balance between fields and disciplines in the receipt of funding and support;”.

I second the amendment.

I move amendment No. 13: In page 11, line 37, after “capacity” to insert “and careers”.

I move amendment No. 14: In page 12, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(h) in co-operation with An tÚdarás, promote, support and develop tangible plans to end precarious work in the higher education sector;”.

I move amendment No. 15: In page 14, lines 34 and 35, to delete “(whether contained in guidelines, codes or other documents, or any combination of them)” and substitute “(which are outlined in guidelines, codes, legislation or statutory instrument)”.

Amendment No. 15 is really about section 11, which I previously opposed as an entire section. Again, it is an attempt to reflect the debate and discussion we had around the very concern that, effectively, there is a requirement that still feels so extraordinary. As I said, section 11, which I opposed, is one area in which the Minister has extraordinary powers in terms of giving directions to the agency. Section 11(1) provides for the Minister giving direction on "any matter or any thing referred in this Act or any …

First, it is not “the Minister”; it is “a Minister of the Government”. As I said, this refers to any Minister and perhaps multiple Ministers who have instructions that they would like to send down to the agency and see implemented. Hopefully, how the agency deals with those will be appropriate. However, while the agency has a wider remit, this does not give it the right to decline to engage with a Minister’s instruction because of its remit or given the balance. The Minister of State may recall that I had an explic…

I move amendment No. 16: In page 31, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(7) The Agency shall ensure that in the allocation of resources and the design, disbursal and administration of schemes that the principle of parity of esteem between fields of activity and disciplines is upheld.”.

I move amendment 17: In page 31, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(7) The Agency shall ensure that in the allocation of resources and the design, disbursal and administration of schemes that there is an appropriate balance between fields and disciplines.”.

I move amendment No. 18: In page 35, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(6) Such conditions of funding expected by the Agency shall include a requirement for research projects to comply with relevant ethical standards, human rights and international law.”.

Amendment No. 18 seeks to insert a new subsection into section 40. In our parliamentary work, I have long advocated for increased public investment in public research for the public good and for targeted scientific, environmental and humanities research which responds to the challenges of our time. The proposal here will not only allow for positive measures in terms of positive ethical goals and human rights goals within research, and encourage and support that, but it will also make sure that we do not see crucial…

The Minister of State may correct me but scanning the objects and functions of the agency, I do not see the word "ethics" or that the highest standard of ethics will be applied. I do not see that reflected at any point. “Excellence” is referenced and that is appropriate but I do not see language that makes explicit reference to ethics or ethical standards. In the descriptions of this Bill, we have seen language used multiple times that is not in the text, for example, the term "parity of esteem". I am hoping ethics…