Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be crystal clear, one of the first acts of the chairs will be to meet with those groups. I will have to check if I have met that group but I have met postgraduate representatives from the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, and a group of postgraduate researchers from Trinity College Dublin who made a strong and compelling case about the need. I am meeting the co-chairs next week. The first item on our agenda will be to discuss their engagement with the representative bodies for our PhD researchers. I have no difficulty meeting that group. I am very happy to do so. It is most important we get them meeting the co-chairs because I want this work to be done, done well and for them to have confidence in it. As people know, the scope of the review includes current PhD research supports, including financial supports, stipends, SUSI supports and others; the adequacy, consistency and equity of current arrangements across research funders and higher education institutions, including equity and welfare considerations, the status of PhD researchers, whether student or employee, and a review of international comparators and models; the impact on funding of research supports of any adjustment to current supports; graduate outcomes; and visa requirements and duration for non-EU students. The review will look at issues of adequacy, taking account of cost and other issues. This is a very important piece of work with quite broad terms of reference. The engagement will happen and they will be formally written to very shortly to confirm that.

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