The aim of our committee is to ensure that research is conducted according to best practice and in accordance with ethical standards in research. Our first priority is to safeguard the health, welfare, dignity and rights of human participants and the researchers undertaking the work in order to minimise risk to these parties as well as the University of Limerick itself. It should be noted that our REC facilitates, not hinders, valuable research and to protect you the researcher from unjustified criticism and/or legal action. We are here to help you so please utilise this committee when planning your research, we prefer to chat with researchers first if you have any questions about the ethical aspects of your work.
The deadline for the monthly Ethics Committee is the first Thursday of each month. Note the Committee does not meet in August.
Word version Applications must be submitted by the Principal Investigator (ie Supervisor) only, applications will not be accepted by any other persons.
Guidelines and application forms are available at the links below if you need assistance please email: Johanna.Griffin@ul.ie
- A 'Chair's Decision' can be made in situations where minor amendments are required to a previously approved application that is needed to be reviewed outside of the committee meeting schedule. Please see form below.
- Please note that all Health Research oversight on behalf of the University of Limerick is undertaken by the Health Research Oversight Committee (HROC). The HROC reports to the University Research Committee (URC), chaired by the VPR. If you are conducting health research, you must engage with the HROC prior to or in parallel with submitting this application. For more information, please see the UL Health Research Policy.
- If this study involves patients or staff from a clinical, hospital, or GP setting then you MUST apply to the relevant Ethics Committee where the patients or staff are based (for example, if you are working with patients in UHL, you will need HSE ethics approval).
It is advised you view the below videos before proceeding with your Ethics application. The first four videos are no longer than six minutes in length.
- Do I need ethical approval?
- How to fill out an application (Sections 1-4)
- How to fill out an application (Section 5a - 5c)
- How to fill out an application (Section 5d - 5f)
- How to fill out an application (Section 6 - 8)
Please note that an Ethics Application must contain the following:
- 1. Application form
- The majority of applications will use the Expedited Ethics form
- The Full Ethics Form is only in the case where underage and/or vulnerable participants are involved - see video How to fill out an application (Sections 1-4) for more information.
- 2. Relevant documents
- Please find these forms within in the Application form that the participants will view i.e. Participation Information Sheet(s) and Consent form(s)
- These need to be written with the participant in mind, avoid complex jargon and ensure that grammar is checked.
- If there are separate parts to the study (survey, followed by a focus group) then separate Information Sheets and Consent Forms need to be provided for each phase.
- 3. Interview Questions/Survey Questions
- For each phase of the study please provide the Survey, Interview and Focus group questions - these are important to provide so we can make a decision
- For even semi-structured interviews and focus groups we will need the foundational and overarching questions being asked.
- For online surveys please provide the actual questions with the application as well as the link to the draft survey.
- 4. SE Research Privacy Notice Form
- Please ensure to correctly fill this out and answer any yellow text. Note that some of this information cannot be completed until after approval.
- 5. Link to the Microsoft Consent Form (surveys/interviews/focus groups/workshops, consent)
- This is important to provide, otherwise, we will send your application back and this will delay your work. Questions/themes from surveys/interviews/focus groups/workshops must be provided in a word document included in the application form as well as the links to these).
- The Consent form must be gated: this means that when a participant opens the link you send them to engage with the research - they must first be brought to a cover page that has the information sheet information for them to read followed by the consent question with a tick box 'Yes'. Only when a participant clicks 'Yes' to participate then the participant can view the questions of the survey/interview etc.
Application Forms
- Expedited Ethics Form - most studies will use this form
- MAC Compatible Expedited Ethics Form
- OR Full Ethics Form - for studies that include under 18s and/or vulnerable participants (see form and video for definitions)
AND
Other Forms
UL Child Protection Form - to be submitted only if using participants under the age of 18.
Chairs Decision Form - to be submitted if minor changes have been made to a previously approved application.
Appeals Process:
ULREG (University of Limerick Research Ethics Governance committee) is primarily concerned with research related policies, procedures and governance, whilst all research ethics applications are considered at Faculty level by Research Ethics Committees (RECs). All appeals of Faculty REC decisions are referred to ULREG. Please email: Dr Barry Shanahan, Research Governance Officer, barry.shanahan@ul.ie
Insurance Cover:
It is important to confirm insurance cover for your research. Details of the University’s insurance cover is available at www.ul.ie/insurance
and is summarised in the Guidelines for Insurance Cover Research.
Please note that where there is any query whatsoever about whether or not the necessary insurance cover is in place, the Principal
Investigator/Supervisor must contact the Insurance Administrator Cliona.Donnellan@ul.ie
General Information
Guidelines for Research on Human Persons by Staff or Students
Schedule of S&E Ethics Committee Meetings 2024/25
Post Committee Meeting
After the committee have reviewed your application, the PI will receive an email from Johanna.Griffin@ul.ie with the committee decision and recommendations (if applicable).
Applications will be assessed and given a decision of:
- Approved: The S&E Research Ethics Committee has found this application to comply with the University's ethical policy and procedure. No further action is required. The research may proceed as approved.
- Major Clarifications: The S&E Research Ethics Committee has found this application is not compliant with the University's ethical policy and procedure. It is not determined as a rejection. Comments and recommendations will be provided to the PI to which once followed will allow for further approval. In this case, the PI will be sent an online link by Johanna.Griffin@ul.ie to upload their corrections and to follow the online workflow process to approval. An application with a Major Clarifications decision is not guaranteed approval - the recommendations by the committee must be followed, otherwise upon a second review, the committee can decide to reject the application. A Major Clarification is not an approved decision and cannot proceed with the research until it has been approved.
- Minor Clarifications: The S&E Research Ethics Committee has found this application is not compliant with the University's ethical policy and procedure and requires some minor recommendations. A Minor Clarifications is also not an approval decision, the research cannot proceed until recommendations have been made by teh PI nd research team. In this case, the PI will be sent an online link by Johanna.Griffin@ul.ie to upload their corrections and to follow the online workflow process to approval. Once recommendations have been implemented, the committee can grant approval. Then the research may proceed.
- Rejection: The S&E Research Ethics Committee has found this application is not compliant and does not follow any ethical policy or procedures. This application will not be given another opportunity for approval unless it is redesigned in such a way that is in line with the University's ethical policy and procedure. The PI will be sent recommendations. The PI will need to apply for ethical approval at the next committee meeting.
Committee Members 2024/25:
Associate Professor Eoin White (Chair) | School of Architecture and Product Design |
Associate Professor Katie Crowley (Vice-Chair) | Department of Computer Science & Information Systems |
Associate Professor Fabiana Sarda (Vice-Chair) | Department of Biological Sciences |
Associate Professor John Mulvihill | School of Engineering |
Associate Professor Anthony Comer | School of Engineering |
Department of Electronic & Computer Engineering | |
Associate Professor Arash Joorabchi | Department of Electronic & Computer Engineering |
Associate Professor David O'Sullivan | Department of Mathematics & Statistics |
Associate Professor Shirin Moghaddam | Department of Mathematics & Statistics |
Associate Professor Jason Bennett | Department of Biological Sciences |
Associate Professor Sarah Guerin | Department of Chemical Sciences |
Associate Professor Luis Padrela | Department of Chemical Sciences |
Associate Professor Bernadette O'Regan | Department of Chemical Sciences |
Associate Professor Orest Shardt | Department of Chemical Sciences |
Associate Professor Gavin Wade | Department of Computer Science & Information Systems |
Department of Physics | |
Miriam Dunn | School of Architecture & Product Design |
S&E Research Ethics Committee Coordinator: Johanna Griffin, Johanna.Griffin@ul.ie
Postal Address: Science & Engineering Faculty Office, Lonsdale Building, 1st Floor, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
Email: scieng@ul.ie
Phone: +353 (0)61 202109 or +353 (0)61 202642