Vol. 492 No. 7
20 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the National Research Support Board was not informed of the proposed allocation of the £5 million special fund for research before it made arrangements for a competition to fund 90 additional research projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14962/98]
In 1998, for the very first time, the Government provided extra substantial dedicated finance, for the funding of research and development through the Department of Education and Science. The new allocation of £5 million has been incIuded in the 1998 Estimates for the Department of Education and Science for recurrent funding of research and development projects.
Arrangements were announced by me on Tuesday, 26 May last for the programme of scientific and technological research in third level institutions, which is now being put in place. Prior to this, the Higher Education Authority advised the Department of Education and Science on the appropriate mechanisms, after having consulted widely with the Office of Science and Technology and Forbairt, before providing this advice to us.
This new funding is supplementary to the existing sources of funding for research and development, including the various teaching and research budgets of the higher education institutions and including various schemes, administered by or on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology, at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
My appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for science and technology at the Departments of Education and Science and of Enterprise, Trade and Technology ensures there is effective co-ordination of science and technology issues and also ongoing contact at official level. In addition, the interdepartmental committee on science, technology and innovation, which I chair, provides an effective mechanism for full consideration of science and technology priorities among all Departments involved in funding science and technology. As soon as it was clear in November 1997 that the Department of Education and Science had obtained new additional funding in research and development, the relevant agency and Department were informally told of same. This was subsequent to Forbairt having made arrangements for a competition to fund additional research projects.
I am proud to have secured extra funding for science, research and innovation and I have excellent advice available to me from the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, Forfás, the office of science and technology, the Higher Education Authority and the two Departments within which I operate on these matters.
Is it true that a competition was held which attracted 350 applications from which 90 were selected as approved? Is it also true that because it transpired that funds would not be available the 90 approvals were reduced to 29?
In September 1997, Forbairt, on behalf of the national research support fund board, advertised a competition to which it received a fine response. The response is indicative of the economic well-being of the country and of the commitment of scientists in our institutions to respond to such opportunities. The competition proceeded and the board met the applicants. Ninety were cleared for further consideration and 29 were recommended for priority funding. Final decisions have yet to be made.
Why did this massive breakdown in communication, which jeopardised many hundreds of post-graduate students, occur? Was it not true that the Minister of State was represented on the board which made the decision to hold this competition? Was it not reprehensible conduct on his part to pull the rug from under the applicants at the last minute? The Minister of State is charged with responsibility for co-ordinating research but he is making a dog's ear of it.
I do not know what type of ears the Deputy's dogs have, but they are different from dogs' ears in my part of the country.
The Deputy meant a dog's dinner.
I have a good idea of who might be feeding the Deputy with this information but the informant is confusing the situation. The Department of Education and Science has provided a new fund of £5 million this year. There is a matching £2.5 million fund for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment which will be expanded to £5 million. That is a total of £10 million——
The Minister of State is repeating the initial answer. There is a time limit on this question. Will I be permitted to ask another supplementary?
I have a right to respond. There was no breakdown of communication. On 26 May we announced a series of rules because we were expending public funds for which we are accountable. Certain people who had personal and individual interests felt that, because they would have to make statements to their institutions, it might impinge on their pet projects. As a result, they were peeved and began to squeal and talk to the Deputy and the media.
The funds are available and the competition has been held. Prioritising has taken place, final decisions will be taken and funds will be allocated. More money will be spent on science and research this year than ever before.
Is it not the case that the Minister of State is scurrying around for funds in an attempt to honour commitments on which he reneged? Where will these funds be found? What subheads in the Estimates will be cut in order to make the funds available?
No subheads will be cut. The funding has been made available. We are ensuring that we will expend the new funds in a proper manner by giving priority to the projects that have come on stream. We do not need to scurry around or to panic. The funds have been made available. The Deputy should tell his scientific friends to take it easy. The funds are available, the priorities will be decided and the funding will be allocated. There is no reason to panic.
Tell that to post-graduate students.
As they head off to the UK.
I have had many communications from post-graduate students who are extremely happy about the availability of new funds. They are also embarrassed that certain people are making unnecessary noises.
