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June 2025 – Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless T.D., has announced a €23 million investment through the Research Ireland Pathway Programme to support 36 early-career researchers across a wide range of disciplines.
The four-year funding initiative is designed to help researchers transition from postdoctoral positions to establishing themselves as independent investigators, while also supervising postgraduate students.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the funding, Minister Lawless stated:
“This investment will drive impactful scientific discovery and societal progress. It aligns with Ireland’s national research priorities in key sectors including healthcare, environmental sustainability, education, and the arts.”
Funded Projects: Diverse Focus Areas
Among the successful projects are:
- Combatting climate misinformation in Ireland, led by University of Galway, co-funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and Met Éireann
- Health-economic modelling for Alzheimer’s and dementia (RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences)
- Tech4Endo: Technology to empower individuals living with endometriosis (University College Dublin)
- Optical assessment of bone quality to reduce fragility fractures (Tyndall National Institute)
- Microplastics release from everyday plastic products (Trinity College Dublin)
- Gender balance in opera productions in Ireland, 2000–2025 (University of Galway)
Programme Details
The Pathway Programme offers both financial support and structured mentorship to build long-term research capacity in Ireland. Each award includes funding for a postgraduate researcher, supervised by the lead investigator.
Research Ireland Interim CEO Celine Fitzgerald commented:
“The Pathway Programme equips emerging researchers to lead innovative work addressing national and global challenges in public health, digital wellbeing, climate, and culture.”
Participating Institutions
The 36 projects are hosted across 11 research institutions:
- University College Cork (6)
- Dublin City University (5)
- University College Dublin (5)
- University of Galway (5)
- Trinity College Dublin (4)
- RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (3)
- Tyndall National Institute (3)
- Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (2)
- Maynooth University (1)
- Technological University Dublin (1)
- University of Limerick (1)
Co-Funding Contributions
The programme includes €1.7 million in co-funding from:
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – 4 projects
- Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) – 2 projects
- Met Éireann – 1 project
This investment represents a significant step in strengthening Ireland’s research ecosystem by empowering early-career researchers to lead projects that address critical societal needs.
Minister-James-Lawless-TD-Pic-by-DublinPolitical
