Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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584. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the level of State funding for Irish university-backed research; if he will consider increasing this annual funding under forthcoming budgetary negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22145/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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There is a comprehensive and ambitious set of commitments for research and innovation in the new Programme for Government. This work will be progressed via a number of national policies and strategies, under the national research and innovation strategy Impact 2030.

The formation of Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland in August 2024 is designed to build a more effective and cohesive national research and innovation ecosystem. Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland is working with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and others to ensure delivery of Ireland's research and innovation ambitions. Irish university-backed research, including frontier and discovery research, is being funded by the agency on a statutory basis across all disciplines and fields for the first time, creating scope for stronger engagement in transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary research. The agency will be working with stakeholders to continue to engage, encourage, and support our excellent university researchers, and a strong research talent pipeline for Ireland.

Under Budget 2025, additional funding was announced for Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, with its total budget funding research in the Irish Third Level system now standing at €309.2 Million. This also includes funding to increase the agency PhD stipend level to €25,000.

The Funding the Future Framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened quality of outcomes in higher education.

In the three budgets since the publication of Funding the Future in 2022, the Government has increased core funding by €164.4m, with a commitment to provide a further €100m in core funding by 2029.

Further additional Exchequer funding will be progressed in future budgets to deliver on commitments, including on priorities such as healthcare places and tertiary programmes. This will close out the remaining funding figure of €42.6m and bring the total core funding increase up to €307m.

As part of Budget 2025, a National Training Fund funding package of nearly €1.5 billion over a six-year period was agreed for the tertiary sector. This includes €650m in a core funding package for the higher education institutions which will see annual core funding increase by €150m by 2030. This additional investment will ensure that Ireland remains competitive on the global stage.

In line with the Programme for Government and the Government's continued support for the development of the Technological Universities (TU) sector, under TU Research and Innovation Supporting Enterprise (TU RISE), a fund of €83.68m will be made available to higher education institutions in the technological sector to support research capacity building with a focus on enhancing engagement with regional enterprises. TU RISE will enhance central research functions within the technological university sector to further institutions’ engagements with their regions, promoting enterprise engagement with academia and regional development.

I have also announced the allocation of Performance Funding Awards totalling €5 million to five higher education institutions. Each institution is being awarded €1 million in recognition of their exemplary and significant contributions to the delivery of national priorities, and the achievement of national strategic objectives aligned with the higher education System Performance Framework 2023–2028.

My Department is continuing to engage as normal with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform estimates process.

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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585. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding streams and grants that may be available for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22266/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is not aware of any application relating to the refurbishment of a disused protected structure for use as a Community Adult Education Centre for St. Mary’s Community in Limerick City.

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board has advised my Department that St. Mary’s Adult Education Centre operates as an outreach community education centre. It applies annually to Limerick and Clare ETB for tutor support to deliver a range of community-based Further Education and Training courses.

St. Mary’s Adult Education Centre is a company limited by guarantee and does not fall under the direct management or governance of Limerick and Clare ETB. As such, it would not be eligible for capital funding directly administered by the ETB.