Questions

266. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being considered by his Department and Research Ireland to strengthen doctoral education and research capacity in offshore renewable energy; if he will consider establishing a national centre for doctoral research and training in this field; whether technological universities, including S…

98. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an update on his discussions with the European Research Council in relation to the multi-annual funding framework for science; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50208/26]

131. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide an update on the €100 million expansion of the Tyndall National Institute at University College Cork, approved by Government on 13 January 2026 as first major project under the INSPIRE Research Infrastructure Programme, including the current status, timeline and drawdown to date; and…

536. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the rationale for the recent cancellation of Research Ireland doctoral and postdoctoral scholarship funding for future years; the measures being put in place to support PhD students who had intended to rely on such funding after commencing their studies; whether transitional arrangements will be introduced …

537. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken to ensure that early-stage researchers are not placed in financially precarious positions as a result of changes to postgraduate funding policy; the extent to which alternative supports or funding streams will be made available (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the…

538. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to ensure equitable allocation of research funding across all disciplines, including humanities and social sciences, in view of concerns that recent policy changes may disproportionately favour STEM fields (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46429/26]

540. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to support a technology conference (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46556/26]

2498. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to reconsider the funding priorities stated in the current Research Ireland Strategy given concerns that have been raised (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43430/26]

2499. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he is aware of the concerns outlined in a letter (details supplied); if he will commit to engaging with the signatories of this open letter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43497/26]

2504. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the academic backlash to recently published priorities by an organisation (details supplied) that neglect social sciences and humanities subjects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43896/26]

1328. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the research funding streams available to support the pharmacy research ambitions set out in the inaugural strategic plan of the department of pharmacy at South East Technological University, including its stated goal of driving impactful research for regional, national and global healthcare; if Cork-…

246. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has sought, or will seek, clarification from Research Ireland regarding the rationale behind the decision to discontinue the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme and move to a block-grant funding model administered through higher education institutions; and the specific protecti…

248. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount being spent on STEM for the coming academic year in all third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22014/26]

524. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure that adequate funding is made available to third level institutes so that research centres can remain open, following concerns raised by an organisation (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21057/26]

98. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Ireland’s current position in international research funding competitiveness; the steps he is taking to ensure that Irish universities and research centres attract and retain top researchers, particularly in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and biomedical science; and if he w…

126. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will follow the recommendation of the Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers and establish a new review group to look at the employment status of post-graduate workers and different models for doctoral training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6918/26]

1071. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide a detailed breakdown of how the €4.55 billion investment in research and innovation will be spent year-by-year; how progress will be measured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3717/26]

209. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the success of Irish colleges, enterprises and other stakeholders in drawing down EU Horizon research funding; and the next steps for remaining rounds under current framework programme. [67597/25]

214. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he will introduce a sectoral minimum wage of at least €30,000 for PhD researchers. [67836/25]

712. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the commitments his Department can give to increasing investment in research, supporting early-career researchers, and ensuring Ireland remains competitive in EU and global innovation programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67821/25]

879. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of funding given to any researchers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56616/25]

880. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the system in place to check whether researchers are legitimate before funding is handed out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56617/25]

881. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the oversight being used to verify and ensure affiliations are legitimate and traceable in terms of research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56618/25]

882. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the transparency that is mandated through clearer author contribution statements and verified funding acknowledgements, to create a more reliable and accountable record of how research is conducted and supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56619/25]

70. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proportion of his Department’s research budget which is allocated for new research versus earmarked or pre-committed to existing programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55974/25]