Physicists hoping to start new research projects in Irish universities have had to put their plans on hold. The Irish Office of Science and Technology - which is part of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment - is only going to fund ongoing research this year. Meanwhile, the Department of Education and Science has received IR£5m (about £4.2m) for basic research but has no mechanism for allocating the funds.
The sum is substantial – domestic spending on basic research is about IR£2m each year; the country also receives IR£20m from the EU. “If the money is not released very soon, there will be one very significant row, ” says Vincent McBrierty, a polymer physicist at Trinity College Dublin.
The Office of Science and Technology launched its usual call for proposals in December. “The applications were assessed, ranked and graded, then at the last minute, the plug was pulled, ” says John Donovan of the Irish Research Scientists Association. “The people losing out are those with unfunded projects, ” he says. The new work was due to start in the autumn.
The Office of Science and Technology is now hoping that the new projects will be funded by the Department of Education and Science. “We are in discussion with the department about whether they will use their money for our research start-ups this year, ” says Michael Fahy, who was head of the Office of Science and Technology until the end of last month. “[The issue] needs to be resolved…it should have been done yesterday, ” he adds.
