Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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522. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the publication of the review on the status of PhD researchers, that is, classification as either students or employees, has been delayed; if it will be published before the 2024-2025 academic year;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27096/24]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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523. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on his engagement with the Minister for Justice in respect of creating a separate process for non-EU/EEA PhD researchers to apply for the 1G visa upon submitting their thesis (details supplied). [27097/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together.

In October 2022, an independent and comprehensive National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers was announced; the first time that this issue has been considered holistically in this manner. The first report of the Co-Chairs, Dr Andrea Johnson and Mr David Cagney, was published in summer 2023. In it they recommended an increase towards an optimum PhD stipend level of €25,000, subject to funding availability.

In Budget 2024, funding was secured to increase the PhD stipend offered by my competitive research funding agencies, the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland, from €19,000 to €22,000 annually, i.e. a 15.8% increase. This builds on the increase secured under Budget 2023, demonstrating my Department's clear and consistent commitment to this issue. My officials continue to engage with the budgetary processes with the aim of progressing the matter further.

The Co-Chairs' independent final review report will encompass the outstanding elements of their Terms of Reference and will be published by my Department in due course. It will include their findings with regard to whether PhD students are classified as employees or continue as students, and issues particularly affecting underrepresented groups. PhD status is relevant to a number of other themes considered by the Co-Chairs in their work, including treatment of non-EU/ EEA PhD students, and it is anticipated that their final report will help to provide clarity in this complex area. With regard to the particular issue that has been raised by the Deputy, I would also note that the duration of a particular stipend is a matter for individual funders across a range of Government Departments, who adopt approaches appropriate to their own individual circumstances and requirements.