An investment of over €22 million in early-career researchers was announced today by the Irish Research Council (IRC) and Minister of State for Training, Skills & Innovation John Halligan.
The funds will be broken down into €15,142,250 postgraduate scholars with €7,118,065 allocated for postdoctoral researchers benefitting some 288 awardees.
Announcing the investment, Minister Halligan said: “Innovation 2020, Ireland’s strategy for research and development, science and technology, sets out a vision for Ireland as a global innovation leader. Investment in early-career researchers – across all disciplines – is key to achieving this vision.
“The Irish Research Council’s Government of Ireland programmes support exceptional researchers at postgraduate and postdoctoral levels. The investment announced today will fund some of our brightest minds to develop their research interests and progress their careers, thereby ensuring Ireland has a strong pipeline of research talent well into the future.”
Peter Brown, Director of the Irish Research Council, said: “The Government of Ireland programmes are unique in the Irish research landscape and essential to the research ecosystem for several reasons. Firstly, they provide individual, prestigious awards for excellent research in the name of the applicant.
“Secondly, they provide funding across all disciplines, from archaeology to zoology. The researchers supported are addressing major societal and scientific challenges, and deepening our understanding of topics ranging from traditional music to liquid crystals and ecological connectivity.
“As in previous years, the application process for the 2018 programmes was highly competitive and all applications were internationally peer-reviewed. This means those receiving support have demonstrated the very highest standards of research excellence.”
Projects supported this year include a study of water quality in Irish rivers; the health benefits of lipid-rich diets; and the experiences of LGBT prisoners.
To date, 208 postgraduate and 80 postdoctoral researchers have received awards under the 2018 Government of Ireland programmes.
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