National Advisory Committee on Bioethics
The Minister for Health, Dr. James Reilly T.D. established the National Advisory Committee on Bioethics in March 2012. The task of this committee is to advise the Minister on the ethical and social implications of scientific developments in human medicine and healthcare. In particular, this would include:
- Providing advice in the form of expert reports on priority issues of national significance as requested by the Minister.
- Providing recommendations and assistance towards the development of healthcare policy and associated legislation.
- Representing Ireland at international fora on bioethics and collaborating, communicating and exchanging information with other national bioethics committees regarding developments in health policy.
Bioethics serves as an important tool for making decisions about the direction and governance of science and medicine. It plays another valuable role in that it anticipates future questions of concern, encourages awareness about them and stimulates debate within all sections of society.
The National Advisory Committee on Bioethics intends to consider a number of complex and sensitive issues that society in general, and the healthcare system, in particular, are currently facing.
The secretariat for the National Advisory Committee on Bioethics will be provided by the Department of Health’s Bioethics Unit.
Work Programme
To Be Updated
Minutes
- Minutes of inaugural meeting of 12th March 2012
- Minutes of meeting of 31st May 2012
- Minutes of meeting of 13th September 2012
Members of the National Advisory Committee on Bioethics
The Committee’s membership is multi-disciplinary. Members were invited to join the Committee by virtue of their personal expertise, distinction and authority and not as representatives of particular bodies or professions.
- Professor Andrew Green – Chairperson. Director, National Centre for Medical Genetics, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin
- Professor Colin Bradley – Head, Department of General Practice, UCC
- Professor Bert Gordijn – Chair of Ethics and Director of Ethics Institute, DCU
- Dr. Richard Hull - Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, National University of Ireland, Galway; Director of the Centre of Bioethical Research and Analysis (COBRA)
- Dr. Harry Kennedy – Clinical Director, National Forensic Mental Health Service, Central Mental Hospital
- Dr. Deirdre Madden – Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UCC
- Dr. Adam McAuley – Lecturer, School of Law and Government, DCU
- Dr. Joan McCarthy – Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, UCC
- Dr. Regina McQuillan – Medical Director / Consultant in Palliative Medicine, St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin.
- Mr. Asim A. Sheikh BL - Practising Barrister and Lecture in Forensic and Legal Medicine, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin
- Professor David Smith - Associate Professor of Health Care Ethics, Department of General Practice, School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Irish Council for Bioethics – Documents
Recommendations for Promoting Research Integrity (2010)
Biometrics: Enhancing Security or Invading Privacy? Opinion (2009)
Is It Time For Advance Healthcare Directives? Opinion (2007)
Genetically Modified Crops and Food: Threat or Opportunity for Ireland? Opinion (2005)
Human Biological Material: Recommendations for Collection, Use and Storage in Research 2005
Ethical, Scientific and Legal Issues Concerning Stem Cell Research Opinion (2008)
Operational Procedures for Research Ethics Committees: Guidance 2004
Links to Other National Ethics Committees
International
Australia: The National Health and Medical Research Council www.nhmrc.gov.au
Austria: The Commission on Bioethics www.bundeskanzleramt.at
Belgium: The Belgian Consultative Committee on Bioethics www.health.belgium.be
Canada: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Ethics Office www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Denmark: The Danish Ethics Council www.etiskraad.dk
Finland: The National Advisory Board on Social Welfare and Health Care Ethics www.etene.fi/en
France: The National Consultative Committee of Ethics www.ccne-ethique.fr
Germany: The German National Ethics Council www.ethikrat.org
Greece: The National Bioethics Commission www.bioethics.gr
Italy: The Italian National Bioethics Committee www.palazzochigi.it
Lithuania: The Lithuanian Bioethics Committee http://bioetika.sam.lt
Malta: The Bioethics Consultative Committee https://ehealth.gov.mt
The Netherlands: The Health Council of the Netherlands http://www.gr.nl/en
New Zealand: The National Ethics Advisory Committee http://www.neac.health.govt.nz/
Norway: The National Committee on Medical Research Ethics http://www.etikkom.no
Portugal: The National Council of Ethics for Life Sciences http://www.cnecv.pt
Singapore: The Bioethics Advisory Committee http://www.bioethics-singapore.org/
Sweden: The Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics http://www.smer.se/
Switzerland: The Swiss National Advisory Commission on Biomedical Ethics http://www.bag.admin.ch/nek-cne/
UK: The Nuffield Council on Bioethics http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/
USA: Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues http://www.bioethics.gov/
