Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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181. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount of ODA drawn down for science capacity building in the past year for which data is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23931/23]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Through the Government's international development programme, Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs supported partners for research in related fields in 2022.

• The Irish Research Council received €221,980 for a strategic partnership involving challenge-based research calls. It funds collaborative, interdisciplinary teams of Irish and international researchers, seeking innovations to address societal challenges.• Science Foundation Ireland received €1 million for the SFI-DFA Sustainable Development Goals challenge. It supports interdisciplinary research on the implementation of the SDGs. The focus in 2022 was on research on climate and the environment.• The Marine Institute received €500,000 for the Our Shared Ocean programme, which facilitates collaboration on larger scale research projects. The programme focuses on marine and ocean science, with funding aimed at small island developing states.• The Trinity Impact Evaluation Unit received €40,000 to provide scholarships for participants from Irish Aid partner countries to attend an online impact evaluation course, aimed at building capacity in development economics in developing countries.

In addition, the Embassy in South Africa has provided €100,000 funding for a research partnership between the representative bodies for the university of technology and technological university sectors in South Africa and Ireland. The areas covered have included tourism education, space science, bio-medical engineering, work integrated learning, circular economy, food security, and the Covid 19 pandemic.

The Department of Foreign Affairs' Ireland Fellows Programme, which has operated since 1974, also offers individuals from ODA-eligible partner countries the opportunity to study for a Master’s qualification at an Irish Higher Education Institution. Eligible Master’s level programmes are in a wide range of areas aligned with Ireland's development objectives and the achievement of the SDGs, including environmental leadership, engineering, science and technology and health. The programme is intended to develop in-country capacity, nurture future leaders, and build positive relationships with Ireland.