William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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712. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the commitments his Department can give to increasing investment in research, supporting early-career researchers, and ensuring Ireland remains competitive in EU and global innovation programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67821/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is leading the implementation of the ambitious suite of actions laid out in Impact 2030 – Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy. To maximise our central role in Ireland’s knowledge-based economy, I have allocated €2.45bn towards research and innovation from the €4.55bn overall capital allocation my Department secured under the NDP review process, reflecting the importance that I attach to this area.

This has enabled my launch on 26 November of our flagship research infrastructure package INSPIRE. This €750m research investment package represents the largest single commitment to research infrastructure and talent in the history of the State, delivering cutting-edge equipment to universities across the country that will cement Ireland’s position as a global leader in research and innovation.

The funding that I am prioritising for research and innovation is also strengthening the suite of Research Ireland programmes. In 2026, the agency will establish new, cutting-edge Research Centres which will play a crucial role in keeping Ireland internationally competitive. These centres will drive research and innovation in areas of national strategic importance, provide PhD training aligned with future skills needs, support regional development and smart specialisation, compete for European Union funding, and collaborate with industry to ensure knowledge transfer from our Higher Education Institutes to the wider economy and society.

With regard to early-career researchers, in September 2025 the Government of Ireland postgraduate scholarship and postdoctoral fellowship programmes call was launched. This is supporting exceptional early-career researchers to pursue cutting-edge research with world-class potential in any discipline. In June 2025 I announced €23 million to support 36 projects for early-career researchers, through Research Ireland’s Pathway programme. This investment will support emerging researchers in their journey from postdoctoral work towards establishing themselves as independent investigators.

My department is also developing a High-Performance Computing Strategy on a cross-Government basis, encompassing Quantum, High Performance Computing, AI and data infrastructures to enhance Ireland’s competitiveness in deep tech and support innovative start-ups.