News

NOW CLOSED Start date of consultation: 28 October 2025 Closing date of consultation: 10 November 2025 The public consultation on the proposal for NREC Fees is now closed. The National Office wishes to thank those who contributed to the process. The responses received and outcome of the process is now published. Please read the NREC […]

As of August 2025,  a number of NREC-MD application templates have been updated. This update is part of our ongoing efforts to streamline the application process and enhance user experience for sponsors and applicants.  The table below lists the updated templates and provides a summary of changes to the templates.  Template name  Valid version number 

The latest Annual Report provides an overview of the achievements and milestones of the National Research Ethics Committees (NRECs) and the National Office, which worked closely throughout 2024 to advance and strengthen the national research ethics system in Ireland and to drive ethical health research practices aimed at safeguarding the rights, dignity, and welfare of health

NOTE: The Public consultation period has now closed. Start date of consultation: 7 October 2024 Closing date of consultation: 25 October 2024 The National Office for Research Ethics Committees invites comments on proposed ethics application fees for 2025 for: clinical trials on medicinal products, conducted under the Clinical Trials Regulation There are no fee changes

The latest Annual Report provides an overview of the achievements and milestones of the National Research Ethics Committees (NRECs) and the National Office, which worked closely throughout 2023 to advance and strengthen the national research ethics system in Ireland and to drive ethical health research practices aimed at safeguarding the rights, dignity, and welfare of

2024 will be the final year in which clinical trials can run under the Clinical Trial Directive (CTD). By January 2025, all ongoing trials must have transitioned to Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR). To meet the demands of this final transition phase and to ensure that Ireland is ready to fully embrace the CTR, the operational

How can researchers judge the ‘right’ course of action where different value systems are in play? Do we subconsciously see some groups as more ‘deserving’ than others when it comes to inclusion in research? And as we move towards an increasingly digital and data-driven future, do we need to take a fresh look at fundamental

Effective as of 1 January 2024, the National Office for Research Ethics Committees will no longer charge fees for applications to National Research Ethics Committees (NRECs) submitted after that date by non-commercial sponsors; that is, where the sponsor funding the study is an academic or not-for-profit organisation. All other fees will remain unchanged. This pragmatic

As the end of the year approaches, the National Office team would like to inform our stakeholders of some important dates to bear in mind. If you are applying for approval from a National Research Ethics Committee (NREC) and you wish to have your application reviewed in January 2024, please take note of the following

The National Office for Research Ethics Committees is pleased to announce the appointment of 22 new National Research Ethics Committee (NREC) members. The new members were appointed by the Minister for Health Mr Stephen Donnelly following an expression of interest campaign which ran during August and September 2023. The NRECs for Clinical Trials (NREC-CT) have