Micheál Martin
Ceist:114 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if she intends to implement the recommendation of the STIAC report that postgraduate research students should receive a grant of at least £3,000 per annum. [10350/95]
Written Answers. - STIAC Report.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council recommended in its report "Making Knowledge Work for Us" that all PhD students in the science and technology area should be treated in a similar manner and that they should be funded at a level of not less than £3,000 per annum where the scholarship is held normally for no longer than three years. It also envisaged the establishment of an STI Council which would recommend how the support for PhD students should be determined.
A task force, which includes a representative from my Department, has been established to progress the recommendations in the STIAC report and to advise on how they can best be brought forward for implementation. This task force is overseen by a Cabinet sub-committee and is expected to complete its work by the autumn. It would be inappropriate for me to indicate any response to this recommendation in advance of the task force completing its work.