I congratulate the Minister on his elevation to Cabinet. As a constituency colleague, it is great to see him in that brief. He has hit the ground running, and I have no doubt that the rest of his term will be a success. I wish him well. We know from the IUA that half of the equipment in third level institutions is more than ten years old and that a third is more than 15 years old. How does the Minister plan to modernise basic research equipment in universities?

Sentiment score: 0.28

In March 2025, the IUA stated, "increased public investment in research is the best way to protect the Irish economy from external threats such as US tariffs," and what is happening in an international context. I welcome the Minister's commitment to not just funding third level institutions but also modernising those institutions. As a follow-up question, when does the Minister envisage that funding will be available to third level institutions? I appreciate that this will be part of the national development plan. Will it be this year or further down the line?

Sentiment score: 0.31

I will give some time back to the Minister in order to allow him to finish his point. I acknowledge the President of Maynooth University, Eeva Leinonen, for her work there and as chair of the IUA. I am keen to hear from the Minister in terms of what his timeline is. I appreciate that any scheme like this cannot be just a once-off; it needs to be continuous because of the rate of change and development in all areas of research. I completely understand that it will take time. It is not just a case of being here once and it being done. It will take a number of years.

Sentiment score: 0.19