Research ethics committees in Ireland

The system for ethical review of medical research in Ireland was streamlined in 2004 with the introduction of the European Communities Regulations. Under these regulations the Minister for Health shall be the Ethics Committees Supervisory Body, which is the body responsible for recognizing and monitoring ethics committees in the State. The Regulations stipulate that ethics committees must be established by appointing authorities. Ethics committees must have regard to specified matters under the legislation such as the objectives of the trial, qualifications of investigators, selection of participants, confidentiality, consent, payments, and any other matters that may be prescribed. Therefore ethics committees could reject a trial that was considered to be unethical even if lawful. A recent guide published by the Irish Council of Bioethics advises ethics committees and investigators to be aware of the Data Protection Acts 1988-2003 and their obligations under those Acts.