Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
783. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures taken to boost Ireland’s research capacity during 2025; his priorities for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73568/25]
View answerIn 2025, I continued to realise the ambitions laid out in the Programme for Government and the Impact 2030 Strategy, with a view to securing Ireland’s future prosperity, our wellbeing and our ability to compete globally as a small, advanced knowledge-based economy. This year we made significant progress towards acquiring a new national high-performance supercomputer, CASPIr, to be hosted by the University of Galway. 2026 will see the acquisition of this new national research resource. Once operational, CASPIr will benefit stakeholders across the broad spectrum of Ireland’s research and innovation ecosystem. In June, I signed the European Quantum Pact, joining other EU Member States in committing to the development of a world-class quantum technology ecosystem. This complements Ireland’s existing national strategy, Quantum 2030, which recognises the importance of fundamental research in quantum science and technology, talent development, international engagement and industry developments. An expert group, drawn from academia, industry, and the public sector has been established to implement Ireland’s quantum strategy.
In 2026, my Department will coordinate and support Ireland’s quantum technology initiatives in alignment with Europe’s growing quantum technology ecosystem. October saw the finalisation of a significant piece of work which saw Ireland join CERN as an Associate Member State, providing opportunity for our research community and Irish enterprises to access contracts and engage in knowledge transfer activity with this world leading research and engineering site. In November, I announced funding of over €3.5 million for 16 research projects under Research Ireland’s COALESCE (Collaborative Alliances for Societal Challenges) programme. This supports excellent, interdisciplinary research that addresses national and global societal challenges by fostering collaboration between researchers and policymakers, civil society, and enterprise. Also in November, I announced €34.5 million in funding for Research Ireland’s Frontiers for the Future Programme. This supports 39 cutting-edge research projects spanning 12 research institutions, investing in cutting-edge, curiosity-driven research and empowering individual researchers in the exploration of high-risk, high-reward ideas.
This year the programme was co-funded by the Children’s Health Foundation, Breakthrough Cancer Research, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and will be supporting 66 PhD students, 47 postdoctoral researchers, and 13 other research positions.Three new Research Ireland Accelerating Research to Commercialisation (ARC) Hubs were launched this year – the ARC Hub for Therapeutics (led by TCD), the ARC Hub for ICT (led by TUD) and the ARC Hub for HealthTech (led by University of Galway). These are supported by €98m co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under two European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programmes - the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027 and the Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-2027. The ARC Hubs drive regional development by accelerating novel, cutting-edge research, towards commercial impact readiness, in areas aligned with Ireland’s Smart Specialisation Strategy for Innovation 2022-2027 and respective regional strategic priorities.
In December, I was proud to launch INSPIRE, a transformative €750 million investment in research infrastructure equipment – the largest in the history of the State. This programme will deliver cutting-edge equipment to our universities and attract world-class talent, cementing Ireland’s position as a global leader in research and innovation. Backed by the recent €4.55 billion capital allocation to my Department under the National Development Plan, INSPIRE will invest €750 million between 2026 and 2031, starting with €100 million in 2026, aligned with priorities such as competitiveness, digitalisation, and decarbonisation. Launched in September, the Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity recognises the centrality of research and innovation to Ireland's future economic performance.
My Department together with its agencies, Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland and the Higher Education Authority (HEA), are working with the higher education institutions and Enterprise Ireland to ensure that commercialisation opportunities for researchers are valued and incentivised in terms of academic progression. Ireland’s competitiveness depends on our ability to adapt. In 2026 I will continue to strengthen tertiary education, training, and research to build a sustainable, vibrant society. We want our citizens to be provided with the education that they need to succeed in today's world, and that is why we are aligning our skills offering with modern needs to ensure Ireland remains competitive in a rapidly evolving world.
The National Training Fund is central to this mission and enables us to invest in upskilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning to meet the demands of digitalisation, technological change, and the green transition. Through the Further Education and Training sector, we deliver flexible, industry-aligned micro-qualifications that respond quickly to emerging needs. The legislation to unlock the National Training Fund to enable this provision is nearing completion, and this work will continue across next year.Technology and labour markets are evolving rapidly. Government, through partnerships like the National Skills Council and Regional Skills Fora, is committed to ensuring access to high-quality learning for all. Guided by real-time insights from enterprise, we will continue driving this agenda because skills are the foundation of growth.
Through the continued implementation of Impact 2030: Ireland's Research and Innovation Strategy, we are strengthening our national research system to drive excellence and foster innovation. This whole-of-government approach is enhancing Ireland’s capacity at both researcher and institutional levels, through targeted actions on infrastructure, skills development and career pathways. These measures will assist researchers to conduct, manage, disseminate and apply their work more effectively. Impact 2030 also emphasises the vital role of talent and diversity in building and sustaining a dynamic Irish research and innovation ecosystem.
Earlier this year, through Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, I was pleased to launch the Global Talent Ireland initiative. This capacity building measure is designed to bring the brightest minds from around the world to our universities and public research bodies. The programme will begin with a preliminary budget of €8 million per year and will be complementary to our broader commitment under Impact 2030 to strengthen and support Irish research and innovation, in this increasingly competitive global landscape.These strategic investments reflect Government’s unwavering commitment to talent, innovation, and opportunity, ensuring Ireland thrives in the decades ahead.
