Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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741. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the research budget she administers and the budgets administered by agencies of her Department; how the spending of these budgets is prioritised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46461/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The services provided by my Department are delivered through a combination of provision by the Department directly and by a number of bodies and agencies operating under the aegis of the Department. Details of expenditure on these services, including the allocations for certain Departmental bodies and agencies, are set out in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) for Public Services. The REV for 2016 is available on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at . Further details regarding the Education and Skills estimate are available on my Department's website at .

Research activity forms an element of a number of programmes and services funded from my Department's Budget. Specific provision of €37.6 million in 2016 is also, however, made in my Department's Estimate, under Subhead C.12 - Research Activities. This provision supports the development of research capabilities across the broad range of disciplines in third level institutions through the funding of human capital – generally PhD students and early-stage postdoctoral researchers - and also funds underpinning e-infrastructure for the research system. The Higher Education Authority administers the funding under this subhead on behalf of my Department.

The determination of the expenditure allocations across Government Departments and within individual Departments forms part of the annual Estimates and Budgetary process and is informed by priorities as set out in programmes for Government.