Concern about Research Ireland’s Strategy and Programme Plan

This post is to draw attention of Irish colleagues to an open letter going around about the “Strategy” recently publuished by Research Ireland (Taighde Éireann). I have signed it, as have over a thousand others, including many colleagues at Maynooth University. The opening paragraph of this letter reads: We, the undersigned, are writing to express deep concern about the priorities within Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland’s recently published 2026-2030 strategy and programme plan that will guide the distribution of over €4.55 billion in public funds over the next five years. The new strategy is structurally, rhetorically and materially focused on commercially translatable research and economic impact rather than supporting bedrock, fundamental, discovery research and research for the public good. The disproportionate focus on industry interests instead of discovery research and the public interest marginalises the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) and the fundamental…