John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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335. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the number of agencies or quangos established by his Department in each of the past ten years and the cost to the State of funding each one. [24935/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Research and Innovation Act, 2024 enacted following approval by both Houses of the Oireachtas provided for the establishment and functions of a statutory body to be known as Research Ireland, the dissolution of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), as well as the transfer of the activities as respects research and innovation carried out by the Irish Research Council (IRC) in the Higher Education Authority to the new agency.

Research Ireland was established on 1 August 2024 subsuming the funding provision previously allocated to SFI and the IRC. It received once-off supplementary funding of €1m in that year to meet the additional costs arising from its establishment including those arising from the operational amalgamation its two predecessor organisations.

Research Ireland has a central role to play fully recognised by the Oireachtas in supporting its establishment, in ensuring the effectiveness, high performance and excellence of Ireland's research and innovation system which is critical to the achievement of national economic and social objectives.