Research Ethics Committee

Research Ethics Committee (REC)

The objective of the NUI Galway Research Ethics Committee is to safeguard the health, welfare and rights of human participants and researchers (in the case of hazardous materials) in research studies and to afford dignity to the handling and treatment of biological materials, taking into account the scientific procedures and concerns of the local community. For any research proposal to gain ethical approval it must be necessary and of a design that minimises predictable risk to both the research participant and the researcher. Therefore, you may require Ethical Approval if you wish to carry out research within NUI Galway for any area that involves humans or their tissues, biological materials or hazardous substances.

The Research Ethics Sharepoint

The Research Ethics Sharepoint is accessible to NUIG staff and students and provides information about applying for ethics review, submission deadlines and review timelines, forms and templates and more. It will provide you with the most up-to-date information about the online submission process and more. Please follow this link.

News: An Online Submission Process is Coming!

During Semester 2, 2021-2022, the REC will introduce an online submission process. This new application system will be incorporated into IRIS (Institutional Research Information System).

The new REC Sharepoint site provides the most up-to-date information on the roll-out of the online system.

Next Submission Deadline:

The next REC submission deadline is Thursday 27 January 2022, at 4.30pm.  Late applications will not be accepted. ‌

Who can apply?

The REC only reviews applications from staff members and PhD students.  The REC will consider applications from Masters students on a case-by-case basis. Please email the REC co-ordinator  to discuss if necessary.

How to apply: 

In light of COVID-19 restrictions, we will accept submissions in e-copy format only. Please ensure your application has been signed off by your supervisor (students) or Head of School / Discipline (staff). 

Email applications to ethics@nuigalway.ie as one single pdf document no later than 4.30pm on the submission deadline.

*Remember, if you apply for ethics approval, data collection must not commence prior to full approval being granted. 

The Number of Applications Accepted for Review is Now Capped:

To manintain a sustainable workload, the REC now caps the number of applications accepted for review to what can be actioned by active committee members. ‌While we always strive to accommodate urgent applications, we may not be able to review everything for a particular deadline, and we no longer accept multiple submissions from any one applicant

Useful Documents:

• REC Application Form v7.3
• NUIG REC app guide notes - V5.2 2020
• Regarding Signatures: 
  Post-graduate students - ensure you and your supervisor have signed your application
  Staff - ensure you and your Head of School / Discipline have signed your application
• Regarding Indemnity: Suitable indemnity cover is a requirement for every study submitted to the NUI Galway REC for consideration. While the NUI Galway Professional Indemnity Cover will cover the majority of studies, the policy may not cover all studies, or elements of studies. Investigators should carefully consider the University Indemnity Policy to ascertain if their study is covered in full or in part. 
  
  If you are confident that your study is covered by NUIG Professional Indemnity Cover, please state this.  An answer of ‘N/A’ is not acceptable, and will trigger a request for clarification.
  
  For questions about the University's Indemnity Policy please contact Insurance Services
• Regarding Garda Vetting:
  Staff - please contact Marianne McNally in Human Resources: marianne.mcnally@nuigalway.ie 
  Students - NUI Galway has created an app to streamline the Garda Vetting process.  In order to initiate the Garda Vetting Process, see the Admissions Office Garda Vetting information page.

Amendments:

Due to the high volume of requests we are currently receiving, requests for amendment must be submitted using the REC Amendment Request Form‌.  Signatures and relevant documents (such as revised Participant Information Leaflets) should be supplied.  Amendments deemed appropriate for Chair review will be expedited.  Complex revisions may require an in-depth review process, or will be referred for full committee review.

Please DO NOT email the Chair - ONLY forms submitted to ethics@nuigalway.ie will be considered.

Only those applications that have been FULLY APPROVED can be amended.

Statements of Compliance:

It is the obligations of researchers whose applications have been approved by the REC to submit an annual statement of compliance (on the anniversary of approval), and a final statement at the conclusion of your research.  Please use the REC Statements of Compliance forms‌, and submit to ethics@nuigalway.ie.