James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the estimated challenges and opportunities posed by the Brexit result, in particular regarding the opportunities that are available for third level institutions in the context of PRTLI. [9927/17]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My question is on two matters, in a sense. Brexit poses opportunities for Ireland, in particular in regard to research activities. In parallel, the PRTLI has been hit in recent years by funding cuts. Can we align those two goals to maximise our advantage post-Brexit to attract high-level research activity?

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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While the full extent of any impact of Brexit on research in Ireland will only become evident as the Brexit situation unfolds, Science Foundation Ireland, an agency of my Department, is actively working on measures we can take to maximise the opportunities as well as mitigate the risks. We are taking a positive and proactive approach to supporting our research and innovation sector in light of Brexit. Science Foundation Ireland is currently developing a number of proposals in this area. Science Foundation Ireland will continue to build on its existing research collaborations with the UK and Northern Ireland and will be encouraging Irish researchers to diversify their partnerships with other EU countries. In addition, Science Foundation Ireland is developing proposals to collaborate with top UK universities to attract both leading researchers and PhD students to Ireland through joint programmes with Irish universities.

The PRTLI, which has been funded by my Department since 2010, has provided rounds of investment in research infrastructure since 1998. The funding allocation for 2017 is €14.4 million. In 2016, the funding allocation was €30.4 million, including a Supplementary Estimate in December of €20 million. In total, sustained investment since 1998 amounting to some €1.2 billion of public and private funding in our higher education institutions has built research capacity in the Irish higher education system. This enables our researchers to successfully compete in funding opportunities such as Horizon 2020.

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The planning and design of a successor to cycle 5 of PRTLI is an action in Innovation 2020 and is being progressed by my Department working closely with the Department of Education and Skills. My Department is seeking funding to commence a successor to cycle 5 of the PRTLI as part of its submission to the mid-term review of the capital plan. There will be more clarity on a successor to cycle 5, including time lines when this review is concluded and the funding envelope for this and other projects is finalised. The programme design is in the early stages until funding is secured. A new cycle of the PRTLI would increase the capability and capacity of the Irish research system which will support it to avail of any opportunities that may arise as the Brexit situation develops.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I put down the question in the context of PRTLI. I am aware of the good work Science Foundation Ireland does and have met the chief executive, Mr. Mark Ferguson, recently and complimented on the fantastic work he does. I am aware of his ambitious plans to link with top universities in the UK to allow them to benefit from ERC type grants. However, PRTLI is not a Science Foundation fund; it is a separate fund for a separate purpose and covers different institutions. The Minister said the budget for 2017 is €14.4 million and was €30.4 million in 2016. The 2017 budget of €14.4 million is derisory for a fund that started off in the hundreds of millions. That is where it was targeted and that is where it was. Science Foundation Ireland is a great institution, but it is no substitute for PRTLI. I hope we will see a vastly increased budget on €14.4 million in the announcement shortly of cycle 5 of PRTLI. If we are serious about attracting top talent across all the disciplines and universities, including the humanities, we must get serious about PRTLI and third level funding. Science Foundation Ireland does great work, but it is not a substitute for everything else.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The PRTLI programme has been allocated €14.4 million. While this figure is small relative to recent years, the historic liabilities in cycle 5 are close to being paid down in full. We are at an early stage in terms of the design of the successor to PRTLI cycle 5. As such, it has yet to be decided whether there will be any specific Brexit-related component to the programme. However, a new programme will increase the capacity of the research system and that is something that is required in any scenario associated with Brexit. The Department has sought funding for Innovation 2020 in the mid-term review of the capital plan. This includes a proposal to commence the successor to cycle 5 of PRTLI, which is the key action in Innovation 2020. If we have agreement in principle to the launch of the new cycle of PRTLI, we can make a start in 2018.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Lawless for letting me in on this question. I am very passionate about research and development and the opportunities there could be for Ireland.

I am particularly passionate about the Border region and Cavan and Monaghan. It is wonderful to have Cavan Institute and Monaghan Institute but we do not have universities or the infrastructure. Anything the Minister can do to bring research or development to the Border counties would be welcome, and a special case has to be made for the Border region in particular because it will be at the coal face of the outcome and implications of Brexit. We have Cavan Institute and Monaghan Institute run by the education and training boards, which have been hugely influential in keeping a young population and preventing a complete brain drain from the Border region and this needs to be worked on and thought very much about in the negotiations.

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I hear exactly what the Deputy is saying. Without doubt, the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, has been an important part of the research funding and it has provided dedicated large-scale research funding for colleges to implement their research strategies and fund the people, equipment and buildings to go with them. The PRTLI has involved €1.2 billion of public and private investment since 1998 in physical research facilities and support for human capital for research. I hear exactly what the Deputy is talking about for the Border. The overarching vision for the PRTLI was to propel Ireland towards establishing an international profile as a premier location for carrying out world-class research and development.