Written answers

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Third Level Funding

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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148. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funding that will be provided to higher education institutions via the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions in 2015; and in 2016; her plans to approve a new funding cycle, Cycle 6, for the Programme for the years beyond 2015; and the amount this new cycle of funding will entail. [39768/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Since 2010 funding responsibility for the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) rests with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI). My officials have consulted with that Department and I have been advised of the following:

The 2015 budgetary allocation to the Programme was €32.014m. While not yet finalised, it is expected that the 2016 budgetary allocation to the PRTLI will be in the region of €10.4m. It is intended that this allocation for 2016 will be supplemented by way of a Supplementary Estimate (paid to DJEI). Subject to the finalisation of the Supplementary Estimate, it is expected that a sum in the region of €22 million will be provided to the HEA in late 2015. The combination of the 2016 budgetary allocation of €10.4m and the Supplementary Estimate means that there will be effectively no change in the payment profile by the end of 2016, compared to what would have been expected by all parties.

The forthcoming science and innovation strategy provides a basis to see through existing commitments under PRTLI Cycle 5 and, importantly, to plan for new investment in research infrastructure and equipment to underpin investment in human capital and ultimately to support economic development and wider societal goals.

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