Written answers
Tuesday, 7 November 2023
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Research Funding
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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145. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he proposes to make up the shortfall in the PhD stipend, to ensure that PhD researchers funded by his Department either directly or through bodies such as the EPA, 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. [47579/23]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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There is a strong commitment by Government to nurturing, attracting and retaining talent to drive research and innovation in Ireland, as set out in Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy, Impact 2030. The Government recognises that attracting and retaining early career researchers is essential to building Ireland’s knowledge economy and enabling Ireland to respond to key challenges, including in relation to climate, environment, energy, communications and cyber security.
In driving key actions to deliver the green and digital transitions, my Department funds PhD researchers via competitive research funding programmes run by Geological Survey Ireland, a Division of my Department, and by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
I welcome the recommendations set out in the Independent National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers, including the recommended increase in the PhD stipend to an optimum target of €25,000 per annum. I also welcome the recent announcement by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science which will see an increase in the PhD stipends offered by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) to €22,000 per annum from January 2024.
I can inform the Deputy that Geological Survey Ireland currently has a rate of €24,000 for GSI funded MSc and PhD stipends. These will be increased to €25,000 per annum from January 2024 (and backdated to the start of the relevant project). The Environmental Protection Agency and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland have informed my Department that they welcome the recommendation of the Independent National Review to significantly increase the PhD stipend, and they are currently reviewing the implications for their respective R&I programmes.
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