Philip Nolan departs €220m state research board in wake of investigation into bullying allegations

Prof Nolan categorically denies the allegations made against him.

An investigation commissioned by SFI had found the conduct of its high-profile chief was “at the upper end of inappropriate behaviour and just below bullying”.

Following the probe into complaints, Prof Nolan was found to not be in breach of corporate governance. The investigation found his conduct did not constitute bullying and it did not make any finding of misconduct or gross misconduct.

The state body confirmed Prof Nolan’s departure this morning.

“Professor Philip Nolan is no longer with Science Foundation Ireland. Following a board meeting yesterday, Dr Ciarán Seoighe was appointed as Acting Director General of Science Foundation Ireland,” a spokesperson said.

Prof Nolan was on medical leave following the publication of the investigation report. He returned to work at SFI last week.

Staff at SFI were told of his departure in an email from the chair of the board, Professor Peter Clinch, this morning. SFI is not commenting any further on the departure.

Prof Nolan was appointed in January 2022 and had attained a high profile during the pandemic as a member of Nphet.

A former president of Maynooth University, he is close to Taoiseach Simon Harris, who appointed him as head of a new research agency to succeed SFI.

However, according to members of its own board, the Government agency spending €220m of taxpayers’ money doesn’t currently have a well-functioning, cohesive management,

Corporate governance is being “eroded” as the state research funding body has been rocked by bullying allegations against its boss.

The allegations were contained in protected disclosures filed just before Christmas.

The independent investigation found Prof Nolan displayed “inappropriate behaviour” towards the staff members concerned – and this was on the “upper level” and “upper end” in the treatment of two senior managers.

The report was ordered by a sub-committee of the board, called a protected disclosures group (PDG). On foot of the investigation, the board of SFI wrote to the five senior staff members with the findings.

This group, made up of board members, says the investigation report “highlights a number of instances of poor management on the part of the respondent, having regard to their position”.

The group also say that SFI does not currently have a well-functioning, cohesive management “and that this situation warrants serious intervention”.

“The PDG believes that this has created a situation in which corporate governance, and the ability of the board to rely upon that governance, is being eroded,” the board said.

The SFI board must consider what steps to take, following the investigation's findings.

“The board wishes to make clear to you that it takes the findings which have been made very seriously, and is committed to taking appropriate action on foot of them in line with the policies of SFI,” it told a manager who complained.

Prof Nolan had been on leave since the middle of last month, around the same time as the investigation was provided to the board.

SFI have 15 staff on salaries over €100,000, up to and including Prof Nolan on €220,000.

The investigation recommended that SFI examine “culture” in the organisation. Junior female staff in the state research body “experienced menacing behaviour” from Prof Philip Nolan, while senior staff were being “gaslit”, according to a manager.

“Other staff in the organisation have come to me and reported feeling intimidated, degraded and having experienced menacing behaviour from PN (Philip Nolan). These include some relatively junior staff – all women – most of whom are too intimidated to speak out without the protection of a fully conditioned independent inquiry.”

Prof Nolan expressed his “absolute rejection” of the allegations made by the female manager.

He was appointed by Mr Harris as the head of a new expanded agency in charge of all areas of research funding, Research Ireland, which will have a budget of about €300m a year.

The body has not yet been set up yet under law, as the legislation is currently being passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

SFI says it is fully operational and “continues to deliver on its mandate” to fund research and innovation for the benefit of the economy and society.