Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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1920. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the funding being directed towards a workshop (details supplied) and his views on whether utopia is appropriate given that it is referencing the ending of an unborn child’s life. [12092/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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1921. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding being directed towards facilitating the workshops (details supplied). [12093/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1920 and 1921 together.

The North South Research Programme (NSRP) is a collaborative scheme to promote all-island research activities which is funded under the Government’s Shared Island initiative. It is delivered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department.

Research projects from across all disciplines are funded through the NSRP to strengthen links between higher education institutions, research communities and researchers across the island of Ireland.

My Department has been advised by the HEA that the project referred to by the Deputy was awarded funding in 2022 of €199,979 under the first round of NSRP funding. Staff costs and research overheads constitute over 90% of this funding. The project is a collaboration between Trinity College Dublin and the University of Ulster. Trinity College Dublin, as the identified lead administrative and governance institution for the project, is responsible for administering it in line with the terms and conditions of the NSRP.

The HEA has informed my Department that in keeping with best practice in research, funding under the NSRP is awarded on the basis of a rigorous and independent international peer-review process. The title of the workshop and all matters relating to the design and conduct of the research project are solely a matter for the relevant researchers. This is consistent with the key principle of academic and research freedom enshrined in Irish law which is a cornerstone of high-quality higher education and research throughout the world.