Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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195. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department or a body under its aegis, in considering any proposals to reform career structures for researchers with masters degrees and PhDs working in higher level institutions or in research bodies attached to these HEIs that receive State research funding and contracts, has concerns that contracts of indefinite duration used in these contexts to employ researchers have a negative effect on the State's ability to attract and retain research talent; and his views on whether these contracts can be exploitative of researchers. [37113/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Human capital is a critical factor in reaping economic and social rewards from investment in research. In this regard, a comprehensive framework for researcher careers brings clarity and certainty to the career structure and provides researchers with developmental opportunities to enhance their skills and employability, within academia, within the enterprise sector and also the wider economy.

Innovation 2020, Ireland’s strategy for Research and Development, Science and Technology proposes the development of career pathways for researchers to help them maximise their potential and, as a consequence, help to maximise the return on Ireland’s investment in innovation and research. In this regard the Irish Universities Association is developing a draft framework to address these issues and is consulting policy makers and research funders on its development.

Success in initiatives such as Horizon 2020 will be maximised if researchers are being supported from an early-stage to improve their, and Ireland’s, research impact.  In addition to the work being done by the Irish Research Council in this area, I have provided funding in Budget 2017 for the Council to commence a new Frontiers Research Programme, which will enable the next generation of researchers to transition to Principal Investigator status.

In relation to the awarding of employment contacts, the higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore have responsibility for the day to day management of their own affairs, including issues relating to the awarding of fixed-term contracts.