Sheelah Connolly is a senior research officer at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). Sheelah brings to the committee extensive training and experience in applied health research in Ireland and the United Kingdom. For the past 15 years, Sheelah has contributed to and led on a variety of research projects in a number of areas including the social and economic determinants of health, the economics of ageing, neurodegenerative disorders and health services reform. This research has involved the use of a variety of data types including survey data, administrative data and patient health records. Through her research, Sheelah has become very familiar with issues around research ethics, data protection, patient consent.