General Scheme of Research and Innovation Bill, 2023

The full General Scheme is available to view or download at the bottom of this page.

Head 1 –Long Title

A Bill to be cited as the Research and Innovation Bill 2023 to establish a body to be known as Research and Innovation Ireland (working title); to provide for the functions and governance, including the Board of Research and Innovation Ireland; to provide for the staffing of Research and Innovation Ireland; to provide for Ministerial powers including in respect of the provision of funding to Research and Innovation Ireland and the accountability of Research and Innovation Ireland to the Minister; to provide for co-operation of Research and Innovation Ireland with other bodies and other bodies with Research and Innovation Ireland; to provide for the dissolution of Science Foundation Ireland, the transfer of its functions, assets, rights, liabilities and employees to Research and Innovation Ireland and the repeal of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003; to amend the Higher Education Authority Act 2022; to provide for the transfer of staff, records, assets and liabilities (including research awards) of An tÚdarásin respect of research to Research and Innovation Ireland and to provide for matters connected therewith; to provide for certain other matters related to research and to provide for related matters.

Explanatory Notes

To ensure the Bill is cited as the Research and Innovation Bill and to provide for the long title of this Bill to reference:

• the repeal of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003
• the establishment of the new statutory body Research Ireland
• to provide for the operation of this new body
• to provide for the dissolution of the statutory body that is Science Foundation Ireland and the transfer of its responsibilities, assets, liabilities (including research awards) and staff to Research and Innovation Ireland
• to provide for the transfer of staff, records, assets and liabilities (including research awards)from the Higher Education Authority in respect of competitive research funding activities within the HEA, including that of the non-statutory Irish Research Council

Head 2 –Short Title and Commencement

Provides that:

• This Bill may be cited as the Research and Innovation Bill 2023
• This Bill shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days maybe so appointed for different purposes or provisions
• An order under subhead(2) may, in respect of the repeal of the enactments specified in the Bill and its schedules appoint different days for the repeal of different enactments or different provisions of them.

Explanatory Notes

This Head sets out the short title by which the Bill will be known and allows for a phased implementation by empowering the Minister to commence different provisions of the Bill at different times. This Head is set out in accordance with standard provisions for Short Title and Commencement based on a recent precedent in the Higher Education Authority Act 2022.