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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 3

Ceisteanna – Questions. - Departmental Funding.

Olwyn Enright

Question:

1 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason he cut the funding available to the third level sector for research; if he has assessed the effects these cuts will have on research in universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21709/03]

In November 2002, following publication of the Book of Estimates for 2003, I announced a pause in relation to all capital developments in the third level sector, including capital projects under cycle 3 of the programme for research in third level institutions, pending clarification of the future funding position.

I have to place the demand for resources for projects under PRTLI with many other equally meritorious programmes in the education area. My Department is currently engaged in the estimates campaign with the Department of Finance which will determine the resources available, both capital and current, for the education sector. I will have to allocate the available funding on the basis of priority policies which can only be determined when the funding for 2004 for my Department is decided.

I am fully appreciative of the importance of developing the research infrastructure in the higher education sector to enable a successful transition to the knowledge society, which has been identified as the key strategic objective for Ireland's future economic and social prosperity. The establishment of the programme for research in third level institutions by the Government was informed by that strategic imperative and the Government remains committed to it. Since 1999, €160 million of public Exchequer funding, current and capital, has been directly expended on PRTLI projects. The total capital and current funding value of projects approved for inclusion under the three cycles of the programme, taking account of private sector contributions, is €605 million. The investment that has been made to date has had a transforming impact on the development of research capacity, in fostering a culture of research excellence and in promoting inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration on an unprecedented scale across the Irish higher education sector. To date, 17 out of a planned 33 research centres have been completed and some 1,600 research positions are supported under the PRTLI.

Our national research effort is an ongoing one. We have set ourselves a long-term goal in terms of our percentage of GDP spend on research and development by 2010. The Government will continue to keep that goal in sight, even if progress towards it has to be slowed in a period of tight public expenditure policy constraints.

As Minister for Education and Science, I have to balance a number of highly sensitive and immediate issues to which an appropriate priority has to be afforded. Equally I understand that real sustainable progress on all fronts is only possible if we can achieve the social and economic growth that will flow in the longer term from continuing investment in research and knowledge.

Does the Minister recall a specific commitment made by the Government to encourage the highest standards of research at the nation's third level institutions and that this would also relate to physical structures and facilities? Is he aware of the comments of the chief executive of the Higher Education Authority who has contacted the five universities, including the Royal College of Surgeons, to regret the serious implications of the Government's response to funding? We spent the last fortnight attending the Joint Committee on Education and Science discussing the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill. Will the Minister confirm or deny whether schools of nursing being built at some of the universities will be affected by this decision and that the universities are saying some projects cannot continue? This includes training facilities for nurses, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers. There is little point in passing an Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill if we do not appoint extra speech therapists or occupational therapists to carry out the work. Will the Minister confirm whether this is the case?

The Minister referred to a pause in funding. Will he indicate what he means by a pause? Is a pause something that just happened in the Estimates one year, will it be repeated in the Estimates for this year or has he any idea of his intentions in this regard at this time?

As I said in my reply, what will happen in 2004 is a matter for discussion under the Estimates process. I will not make predictions as to what might happen, but the Deputy appears to be confusing two separate issues. I understood the question was about the programme for research in third level institutions. The wider question of the third level capital programme is a separate one. I can confirm to the Deputy that no projects that have started will be stopped. We have contractual commitments which will be honoured. These include the occupational therapy area where a number of courses have begun this year.

The overall level of expenditure for the PRTLI in 2004 will depend on the financial circumstances during 2004. This will be decided during the Estimates process. I hope to have some funding avail able for the PRTLI. I also hope cycle 3 of the programme will be completed over the next five years. However, we must await the Estimates process to finalise it.

I do not think I am confusing the issue. Schools of nursing being built at some universities are covered by the programme for research in third level institutions. Does the Minister not think we are currently in an absurd situation whereby Science Foundation Ireland is continuing to fund researchers, that researchers are still being employed and have contractual commitments to universities, those universities have to meet those contractual commitments, yet there is no physical laboratory space for these people? Does he not think it is a waste of resources to be paying people to do a job while they are not being provided with either the space or equipment needed to do the job?

As I outlined, new research funding has been made available to 15 third level institutions, including six institutes of technology. Some 17 new research centres have been completed to date, including the institute of biopharmaceutical sciences in the RCSI, the institute of study of social change in UCD and biotechnology and environmental science centres in Carlow IT. As a result, 800 researchers are being funded, including 540 postgraduate researchers and 272 postdoctoral researchers. There has been a very significant increase in the number of non-national researchers employed under the programme, which will continue into the future.

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