Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
902. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to confirm that adequate funding is in place for Research Irelands Postgraduate Scholarship Programme and Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme following reports from an organisation (details supplied) that staff have been informed of a cut to funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27970/26]
View answer907. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will confirm whether a decision has been taken to terminate the Postgraduate Scholarship Programme and the Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme administered by Research Ireland; the timeline for this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28088/26]
View answer908. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the consultation undertaken with representative bodies, including organisations (details supplied) prior to the reported decision to end these programmes. [28089/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 902, 907 and 908 together.
The Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is a funding scheme administered through Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland that supports suitably qualified applicants to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship at an eligible higher education institution in Ireland for either one or two years. The Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme complements other channels for funded postgraduate education in the Irish ecosystem, funding new and emerging fields of research or those introducing creative, innovative approaches.
The delivery mechanism by which this funding is allocated is the only element of potential future change that is under consultation at the moment, and there are no plans to reduce either the overall funding or the number of awards being funded.
In line with the Impact 2030 Strategy, Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland was established in 2024 as our new national competitive research and innovation funding agency. The agency's remit includes streamlining existing funding processes, reducing the administrative overhead, and the promotion of excellence in research across all disciplines.
As anticipated by the Impact 2030 Strategy and the establishment of the new agency, existing funding mechanisms are being reviewed on an ongoing basis.
The agency currently funds in the region of 38% of the estimated 10,000 PhD students through a range of programmes including Government of Ireland Programmes, Centres for Research Training, Research Centres and Individual-led programmes such as Investigator and Pathway. PhD funding will continue in line with current investment at a minimum, safeguarding and growing existing numbers, while maintaining the current level of stipend payment.
Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland has held eleven stakeholder consultation sessions this year to discuss proposed changes to these PhD funding models and to support HEIs in developing and implementing their institutional research and innovation strategies.
This engagement has reached across the country and our institutions, engaging with leadership teams including the vice presidents of research and also directly engaging with researchers and research offices. The representative bodies will be engaged as part of this ongoing consultation process. Further AHSS-specific consultation sessions are taking place and additional webinars will be run by the agency to provide wider research community engagement on an ongoing basis.
As such, the exact specifications and final terms of the future funding model are still under development. All consultations that have taken place to date have informed stakeholders that PhD funding will not be ending, and that this process simply involves the delivery mechanism being reviewed and repackaged. Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland will be holding webinars for the wider community over the next few weeks following the publication of the 2026 programme schedule, which will provide further opportunity for the agency to address any questions that may arise.
These proposed changes are aligned with commitments to the research community to increase stability and predictability through annual and regular calls, and to streamline and simplify the agency's programme offering. I am grateful for the ongoing engagement of individual researchers, HEI Research and Innovation leadership, and wider stakeholders, who continue to advise on and inform this process, which will vastly improve programme design and delivery, and the impact of this funding.
The successful 2026 Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland Government of Ireland postgraduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships will be announced in the coming weeks, and there is no reduction in funding or volume of awards for this upcoming 2026 programme.
