Chief Science Advisor should be available to all political parties

I would respectfully suggest there is potential for conflict of interest when the same person is appointed director general of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and chief science adviser to the Government.

Ireland would benefit from having a chief science adviser to the Oireachtas, with the brief that any elected politician could seek their advice on scientific matters.

If the adviser is thinking and acting objectively, as a scientist should, then their information and advice would be the same, no matter what the hue of the politician who is making the enquiry.