Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure followed by the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology in allocating research funding on behalf of his Department in the areas of science, technology and engineering and if there are any mechanisms in place to ensure an appropriate balance of funding across the State. [13639/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) primarily funds PhD scholarships and early stage postdoctoral fellowships. Selection is on the basis of excellence following assessment by expert independent panels, whose membership is primarily international. IRCSET has in place a robust and transparent assessment protocol based on international best practice. A detailed description of the application process and criteria for the various schemes is published on the IRCSET website – www.ircset.ie. IRCSET does not place any emphasis on distributing awards on an institutional or regional basis. Similarly, there is no emphasis on funding one discipline over another. The awards are made solely on the basis of academic excellence and in accordance with published assessment criteria.