Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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462. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of contracts that have not been honoured by industry partners in Science Foundation Ireland research centres; the value of unhonoured contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33108/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I should first explain that the relationship between Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)  Research Centres and their industry partner should not be perceived as purely transactional.  The agreements (Contract Research Agreement) that companies enter with SFI Research Centres are to engage in deeply collaborative research projects.   

As of end 2020 1,034 Contract Research Agreements (CRAs) with 528 individual companies have been signed by SFI Research Centres.  These CRAs represent commitments of over €250m from industry – over €128m of which is cash and just under €125m of which is in-kind.  From time to time a CRA may be signed but terminated before a project gets fully off the ground.  This is generally due to changes in company structures or ownership such as mergers or acquisitions.  Of the 1,034 CRAs signed just 9 (0.9%) have been terminated due to such circumstances.  Those CRAs terminated represented value of just under €600k cash commitments and €370k in-kind commitments.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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463. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of academic staff in Science Foundation Ireland research centres; the number of staff on permanent contracts; the median wage paid to academic staff; the number of PhD researchers in the research centres; the average stipend paid to PhD researchers connected to the research centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33109/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The number of academic staff working within Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres is 757.  I assume that by “PhD researchers” the Deputy means PhD students of which there are currently 1,231 carrying out their work at SFI Research Centres.

A detailed breakdown of the number of staff on permanent contracts or otherwise is not available.  This information is held by each individual institution. 

In relation to the median wage of academic staff, for the majority of awards, SFI does not provide a contribution towards the salary of the lead applicant (Principal Investigator), co-applicant (Co-investigator) or any Funded Investigator. Exceptions apply, where salary is allowed in certain circumstances, or is partly supported for these individuals.  SFI provides contributions to fund the salaries of other team members according to specific guidelines as set out in the SFI Grant Budget Policy. Any contributions made by SFI are in line with a published SFI Team Member Budget Scale which is available on the SFI website.

SFI funds postgraduate student stipends at a flat rate of €18,500 per annum for up to four years.  Where adequate justification is provided, SFI may contribute to MD or PhD training of Medical Practitioners for a maximum of three years.  In addition, SFI makes a standard €5,500 contribution towards the annual cost of postgraduate fees, for up to four years.

I might add that full details on the SFI Grant Budget Policy is available on the agency’s website at the following URL: