Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Before I ask my questions, I support the Chair's view on teacher education. I am not saying that the centres of excellence model is outdated, but the list of centres available within the State is old. If I am right, it dates back quite a number of years. It could be updated. There is a history of education, particularly lifelong education, at the Waterford campus of SETU. It is a space I would like to see SETU getting into, as quite a number of the young people who leave the south east do so to engage in teacher training. Everyone would like to see that flow of young people reversed.

I wish to ask a number of questions that arise from my engagement with the Postgraduate Workers' Organisation, PWO. I am sure the Minister has received the same correspondence and seen the questions already. They relate to a review that his Department has been undertaking in respect of PhDs. A number of issues have been identified, but chief among those we should examine if we are serious about expanding research capacity is the need to make a decision about employee status for PhD students. They are in an undefined space and we are probably out of step with most of our European partners in how we define it. Similarly, we need to examine how we provide residency visas for PhD candidates and students from outside the EU. I believe they have to update their visas annually, meaning there is a yearly cost, even though we know they will be in Ireland for four years. They also receive minimum rates of pay. How do we make the four-year process of earning a doctorate affordable for people and reward the incredibly valuable research work they do during their studies? I am sure this matter has come across the Minister's desk already, but I wanted to put the question, seeing as how I had the opportunity.