Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I restate that the standard for funding awards will be the highest standard of research ethics and integrity and that all of the relevant legal frameworks will apply. Ireland has favoured retaining the civilian focus of the framework programmes and maintaining a clear separation between civilian and defence research. As part of our Department's consultation on the next framework programme, we are consulting the national research and innovation community to inform Ireland's position on all aspects of the programme. EU programmes are agreed every seven years under the multi-annual financial framework, MFF. The current MFF covers the period from 2021 to 2027. The European Commission is expected to bring forward proposals for the next MFF and specific EU programmes during 2025. The appropriate time for member states to engage on this issue will be when the European Commission publishes its formal proposals for the next MFF and the individual EU programmes in 2025. These matters are outside the scope of the Bill and the remit of the agency.