Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Our corporation tax rate is questionable given the international agreements on corporation tax. There are a number of reasons our corporation tax is not to be relied on. We have always said we attract people to our country not just because of our corporation tax rate but because of our high knowledge economy and the many highly skilled and trained young people. Yet, PhD students get less than the minimum wage in Ireland. They are not entitled to any of the other benefits low-paid people are entitled to. There is a new Science Foundation Ireland scholarship. It is much higher. It is an acknowledgement for the 400 lucky people who will get those places that generally our scholarship scheme for PhD students is well below international standards and comparators in the Netherlands, Denmark and so forth, which are similarly high-cost countries in which to live. Will the Government address that and bring it up to at least the minimum wage, so that we can attract high-calibre candidates into PhDs in Ireland?

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