4164. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 879 of 7 July 2026, the criteria used by his Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland to classify an activity, event or funded project as citizen science for policy, funding and reporting purposes, including the minimum public participation in scientific knowledge production and the scientific output required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54809/26]

4165. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in respect of each of the ten recommendations in the OECD report Embedding Citizen Science into Research Policy published in April 2025, the assessment, decision or implementation action recorded by his Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland; and, for each action identified, the responsible body, timetable and funding allocated, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54810/26]

4166. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to identify each currently active project funded by his Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland for which participation in scientific research is publicly advertised and open beyond employees or students of specified institutions; the details for each project, the research activity, participation requirements, geographical distribution, participant number in 2025; the funding provided; the number of observations or data records produced to date; current duration and the resulting data or research output; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54811/26]

4167. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether expenditure on citizen-science research is separately identifiable within his Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland; the total expenditure recorded in each year from 2021 to 2025; the amount allocated for 2026; and the programmes through which that expenditure is administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54812/26]

4168. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to identify each current research-funding instrument under his Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland under which an applicant that is not an eligible research body may hold and administer a research award; to provide the details under each such instrument; whether a person who is not employed by or formally affiliated to an eligible research body may hold primary responsibility for the scientific direction of the funded work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54813/26]

4169. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland records the number of unique members of the public participating directly in projects funded under their programmes; the figure for 2025; the methodology used; the targets for 2026; if no portfolio-wide baseline is maintained, whether one will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54816/26]

4170. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to identify each currently funded structured doctoral programme, centre, training network or recurring funding stream principally concerned with citizen-science methodology, governance, infrastructure or research policy; the participating institutions and funded doctoral places available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54817/26]

4199. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the Minister accountable to Government for national citizen-science policy; and the Department or public body responsible for coordinating its implementation. [56567/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4164 to 4170, inclusive, and 4199 together.

Citizen science in Ireland is primarily promoted through Horizon Europe, the European Research Area (ERA), and Open Science policy. The ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027 includes a policy action on 'Enhancing Trust in Science through Citizen Participation, Engagement and Science Communication' that encourages Member States and the Commission to strengthen citizen participation in research and innovation systems.

For Ireland, this means there is an expectation to engage with ERA actions and share good practice, but there is no reporting requirement specifically. Organisations receiving Horizon funding may have project-level obligations regarding public engagement, co-creation, open science, data management, and reporting, but these obligations apply to funded beneficiaries, not to Ireland as a member state. Criteria and definitions are set by the Commission and are available on the published call pages.

Embedding Citizen Science Into Research Policy is an OECD Science, Technology and Industry Policy Paper (No. 175). Ireland is not required to respond formally to the report or to submit implementation updates on the report's recommendations. My Department and Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland have considered the report, which is aligned with aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals, Impact 2030, and the ongoing excellent education and public engagement work of the agency.

In terms of public engagement, the Research in Ireland Barometer is now live on the Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland website. Understanding how people experience research helps ensure it remains connected to the needs, concerns and priorities of society. The Barometer provides a baseline to guide how Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland communicates, supports and involves the public in research going forwards.

In May 2026 Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland convened a Consensus Conference to provide a forum for the Public Engagement community to discuss co-creating a vision for the next decade. The recently published Consensus Conference report lays out the foundation for Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland's commitments in the public engagement space for the next three years, building a shared conversation on the future of public engagement in Ireland.

Expenditure on citizen-science research is not currently separately identifiable within my Department or Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland. There is a requirement for most funded projects to engage in education and public engagement, and citizen science is an aspect of research across a number of programmes and awards, but research methodology is at the discretion of the principal investigator, who is free to decide to include a citizen science approach where this may be appropriate.

The Department also funds public engagement as part of the delivery of the National Action Plan for Open Research, which contains an action to 'Develop a programme to support public engagement with research (engaged research) including consideration of strategic commitments on the part of key sectoral actors, appropriate resourcing, and monitoring and review processes.'

Two projects funded to date are:

Star Guide to show citizen scientists the best view of exoplanets. Star Guide delivered significant technical outputs that advance open, collaborative science. This was funded under the 2023 Open Research Stimulus Call at a cost of €88,089.16. Partners were DCU, and TUD. Affiliates: ExoClock (University College London) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL); and

ENGAGED, which is building a national roadmap to shape public involvement in open research in Ireland. Budget: €268,405 | Partners: TCD, DCU |Affiliates: ATU, Citizens Science Ireland, DORN, Encore+, Go Open DCU, HRB, Health Research Charities Ireland, IOAP, IUA, MIC, MTU, MU, Psychological Society of Ireland, RI, RIA, UCC, UG, UL.

Since its establishment on 1 August 2024, Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland has awarded €18.5m funding to 31 research projects that encompass citizen science or publicly generated data. The funding programmes and successful project awards are as follows:

13 Discover Programme awards

2 Science Week Programme awards

5 x Frontiers for the Future Awards

1 x Research Professorship award

1 x Research Infrastructure award

2 National Challenge Fund awards

I x Pathway award

3 Future Innovator Awards

3 x Industry Research, Development, and Innovation Fellowship awards