Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to pre-empt the review but my instinctive view is in line with the Deputy’s in terms of this idea of a recommended minimum stipend. That is something that would be quite helpful because the more one looks into this issue, the more one realises there are so many different and diverse ways in which stipends are funded. There are the ones directly funded through my own Department’s agencies, there are the ones funded through public funds from higher education institutions directly, through the block grant, if we like, there are ones funded from the own resources of a university and there are some from private sources as well. The issue of a recommended minimum stipend is one that could usefully be considered by the review I am initiating.

I am very happy to share the details of the terms of reference with the Deputy and I should be in a position to do that this week. I also intend to appoint someone external to carry that out and their first job will be to engage with PhD students and their representative bodies. I can tell the Deputy from my work so far that I think the terms of reference will be pretty broad. I am trying to get a balance between covering the range of issues and trying to have it ready for early 2023 so we can act on this in 2023.

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