Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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1415. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of staff in Science Foundation Ireland with specific responsibility for issues related to Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19889/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) have designated three new posts to have specific Brexit related responsibilities and duties.  These posts have been enabled by an increase in the Foundation’s pay allocation in 2017 for Brexit specific recruitment.  While these posts have yet to be filled, recruitment is currently underway.

Furthermore, a number of current SFI staff also have Brexit related responsibilities.  SFI has an internal Brexit team led by one of its Senior Directors which focuses on Brexit related initiatives including, for example, direct engagement with UK colleagues in exploring and drafting potential joint research schemes with the UK.  The DG of SFI and senior management team all regularly participate in high level Brexit related consultations and meetings with some follow up activities that filter down throughout the organisation. 

Pending the outcome of the consultations and exploration of potential schemes the three new Brexit posts will have specific responsibilities for the development and implementation of those Brexit related schemes – noting that the new Deputy DG post will likely be leading a number of those initiatives once appointed.

In addition, SFI will also continue to focus on the UK market, which is critically important in light of Brexit, by continuing its partnership with the Royal Society, The Wellcome Trust and the Research Councils to drive ever-increasing collaborations between Ireland and UK-based researchers. SFI also intends to explore the potential for recruitment of senior talent from the UK in areas of strategic importance.