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Research Ethics Committee


The Brothers of Charity Research Ethics Committee (REC) was established in 2006 for the Galway area. The objective of the Committee is to safeguard the health, welfare, and rights of human participants in research that involves the people we support, their parents or guardians, and/or staff members of the organisation.

For any research proposal to gain ethical approval, it must have a design that minimises predictable risk to both the research participant(s) and the researcher. Ethical approval from the REC is required by all individuals who wish to carry out research with Brothers of Charity.


The REC is comprised of five members, four of whom are members of staff within the organisation, and an additional member who works outside of the organisation:

  • John Gregory, Chairperson, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland
  • Roisín Howard, Psychologist, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland
  • Aoife Whelan, Psychologist, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland
  • Mary Seale, Quality Enhancement and Development (QED) Dept, Brothers of Charity Services Ireland
  • Independent Assessor

Further information, including guidance on the application process, can be obtained by emailing the Research Ethics Committee:

Email: ethics@bocsi.ie

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