Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do know what the issues are and I have engaged with many of our PhD researchers. As the Deputy knows and as I said earlier, a second report that was due from the co-chairs has been received by my Department and will be considered and published in the coming weeks. That report was charged with looking at a variety of other issues above and beyond the issue of stipends, and I know those issues are very important to PhD researchers, as they are to higher education in general and to Ireland Inc. I look forward to having a chance to consider that report, publishing it and publishing an action plan and work programme to progress those recommendations.

It is important, however, when we commission independent reports, that we do not just pick bits out of them. An excellent job was done in the independent report I commissioned, with excellent engagement from PhD researchers, which I acknowledge. It did recommend increases in stipends up to €25,000, but it did not say we should get there in one go and it did say the increases should be from January. That is why I have made sure, quite unusually for a budget, that when an increase comes in, it will come in from January, as opposed to having to wait until next September. Contrary to what people might be saying, this is not the last word on the matter. We will get to the €25,000 and I want to see that for all PhD researchers.

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