Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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1703. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that Taighde Éireann will be maintaining the existing level of funding for research programmes of 80% for those previously funded by Science Foundation Ireland and 20% for those previously funded by the Irish Research Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46689/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Research and Innovation Act 2024 provided for the amalgamation of the functions, staff, and assets of the former Science Foundation Ireland and Irish Research Council. Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland was subsequently established on the 1st of August 2024. A priority during this process was to minimise disruption for researchers and to maintain the operation of current programmes. In this regard, the ongoing programmes run by the previous agencies have continued successfully, and will continue for their scheduled terms, while the staff involved have also worked hard to support the establishment of the new body.

As with any agency, funding allocations for Research Ireland will be determined through the annual estimates process and in line with Government budgetary practices. The establishment of Research Ireland was an amalgamation rather than a rationalisation, and there has been no reduction of the combined allocation for 2025, which in fact was increased to €329.5 million, from the previous combined Science Foundation Ireland and Irish Research Council 2024 allocation of €314.5 million.

The new agency will be engaging in extensive consultation with stakeholders and research funding bodies, to discuss the optimal approach to programme design, and to identify how the agency can best support a cohesive national research and innovation ecosystem. Future agency planning and programme design, including engagement with the estimates process, will be informed by this process.