Written answers
Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Departmental Funding
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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421. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how many PhD researchers are funded by his Department, including those funded by agencies and bodies under the auspices of his Department, and who will not be receiving the increase in stipend to €22,000. [46158/23]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following on from the decision by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide funding to SFI and IRC that will enable them to increase their PhD stipends from €19,000 to €22,000 from January 2024, my Department is currently considering revisions to the stipend for Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funded postgraduate students. The stipend for postgraduate students on DAFM funded research projects has been €19,000 since 2022. I and the Minister of State with responsibility for research and development in my Department hope to be in a position to make an announcement on this matter shortly.
The numbers of postgraduate students funded by my Department, Teagasc and the Marine Institute are currently 202, 174 and 44, respectively. However, it is important to note that these numbers are constantly fluctuating as some students complete their postgraduate studies while others are commencing theirs.
In relation to bodies or agencies under the auspices of my Department who also fund postgraduate students, their stipend rate is an operational matter for the bodies themselves, and this is an issue they are currently examining.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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422. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he proposes to make up the shortfall in the PhD stipend, to ensure that PhD researchers such as a researcher (details supplied) who have been excluded from the planned increase in stipends for PhD students, are treated in an equitable manner with other Government-funded PhD students by being given an increase in the stipend to €22,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46159/23]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following on from the decision by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide funding to SFI and IRC that will enable them to increase their PhD stipends from €19,000 to €22,000 from January 2024, my Department is currently considering revisions to the stipend for Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funded postgraduate students. The stipend for postgraduate students on DAFM funded research projects has been €19,000 since 2022. I and the Minister of State with responsibility for research and development in my Department hope to be in a position to make an announcement on this matter shortly.
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