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Celine Fitzgerald has been appointed as temporary CEO of the new agency, leaving questions over Prof Philip Nolan’s position.
Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland will officially be established on 1 August 2024, more than two years after plans for the new agency were first announced.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan, TD, announced the date yesterday (24 July), saying it marks a step-change for how research will be funded in Ireland.
“This new agency will be a vital support in building the successful future of research and innovation in Ireland, engaging national challenges like the green and digital transitions, and boosting our international standing as research innovators in emerging fields and the opportunities ahead,” he said.
The new agency is an amalgamation of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC). Its creation is part of Impact 2030, a Government strategy that aims to build a more inclusive and engaged research and innovation system.
O’Donovan assured researchers currently participating in IRC or SFI programmes that there would be no interruption to ongoing services and funding programmes while the new agency is being set up.
“There are positive changes ahead, but they’ll be implemented in a carefully planned way, so that our researchers can be confident in this new agency and focus on the important work at hand,” he said.
“The establishment of this new agency is a real opportunity to develop an enhanced new approach, fully integrating all aspects of the research and innovation ecosystem.”
Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland’s establishment follows the enactment of the Research and Innovation Act 2024, which places research in all disciplines on a statutory footing for the first time.
Who will lead Taighde Éireann?
O’Donovan announced Michael Horgan as the chair of the new agency’s board. Horgan has previously served as chair of the Higher Education Authority and the Health and Safety Authority, and also worked as CEO of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.
Meanwhile, Celine Fitzgerald will take up the role of CEO of the new agency – a temporary appointment pending the recruitment of a permanent CEO.
“Ms Fitzgerald has an outstanding track record of leadership in both the public and private sectors, and I am confident that she is ideally equipped to lead Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland into its first months in operation,” said O’Donovan.
This leaves Prof Philip Nolan’s position in the new research body under question, having been selected as the CEO-designate in May 2023 after becoming director general of SFI in January 2022.
But earlier this year, Nolan left his role in SFI amid misconduct allegations. Nolan has denied all allegations and an investigation found that his conduct to be “at the upper end of inappropriate behaviour and just below bullying”.
In the months since, Nolan has legally challenged the dismissal and is still appealing the decision in the courts. Shortly after he left the role, Nolan was granted a temporary injunction from the High Court, which prevented SFI from dismissing Nolan, from treating him as having been dismissed or from appointing anyone else to the position.
However, the court refused to extend that injunction following a hearing, and on Friday (19 July), the Court of Appeal dismissed an application from Nolan who requested to maintain his employment status with SFI pending determination of his appeal of the High Court decision to refuse the extension.
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