Minister Lawless announces opening of INSPIRE research infrastructure programme call for applications
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 12 May 2026
- Last updated on: 12 May 2026
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD announced the opening of the Phase One call for applications under the landmark INSPIRE Research Infrastructure Programme.
INSPIRE is a €750m research infrastructure investment package arising from this Department’s €4.55bn National Development Plan allocation for 2026 to 2030. As well as supporting Ireland’s High-Performance Computing capability and the Tyndall National Institute expansion, at least €500m will be invested in research equipment in the higher education sector over the coming five years. In welcoming the opening of the Phase One call, Minister Lawless noted:
“I am delighted that this critical funding call is now open for all higher education institutions to apply. INSPIRE marks a significant increase in the level of Government support for research and innovation, reflecting its national importance and my prioritisation of this agenda. I now look forward to each higher education institution setting out comprehensively, strategically and ambitiously, how INSPIRE will accelerate the delivery of institutional strategies and, in doing so, maximise the sector’s role in realising our national policy objectives, particularly with regard to our country’s competitiveness and prosperity”.
The INSPIRE Research Infrastructure Programme implements the Programme for Government commitment to address the research infrastructural deficits in the higher education sector. Its design reflects the findings of the expert Working Group established by the Minister last year to progress this issue. The Programme is open to all eligible Irish higher education institutions for all research disciplines.
The Programme will be delivered in two phases and is being administered by the Higher Education Authority and Research Ireland. Under Phase One, funding for equipment used regularly in each institution for both teaching and research purposes will be prioritised. This is in recognition of the critical deficits across the sector and of the importance of this equipment for the delivery of highly-skilled graduates.
The Higher Education Authority is now preparing to write to all eligible higher education institutions inviting them to submit their applications.
CEO Dr. Alan Wall commented:
“We are delighted to be at the stage of inviting submissions from eligible Higher Education Institutions under Phase One of INSPIRE. By significantly investing in critical research infrastructure in a systematic way, INSPIRE will act as a key enabler to our institutions in delivering teaching and research excellence, in addition to advancing the strategic development of our higher education system. This will in turn contribute towards the delivery of national social, economic and cultural goals while enhancing the reputation of our higher education system internationally.”
CEO of Research Ireland, Dr Diarmuid O’Brien commented:
“Research Ireland is tasked with delivering the internationally renowned research and innovation system required for Ireland to meet its long-term economic and societal objectives. Key to achieving this is the provision of appropriate environments, facilities and research infrastructure required to do excellent research. INSPIRE represents the largest single investment in research infrastructure and talent in the history of the State. Co-delivering INSPIRE with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority, Research Ireland looks forward to jointly facilitating a step change in Ireland’s research infrastructure provision and renewal.”
Notes
INSPIRE Strategic Objectives
The purpose of the INSPIRE Research Infrastructure Programme is to invest in research equipment in the higher education sector, ranging from routine equipment that is used within a higher education institution and more advanced equipment that is appropriately shared across a number of institutions and, importantly, with external users. While the INSPIRE Programme will fund research equipment, its strategic mission is to advance Ireland’s talent and innovation ambitions. To realise this, it aims to:
- Accelerate institutional strategies, not only in relation to their research performance but also in terms of their development of highly-skilled industry-ready graduates, their collaborations and research commercialisation with industry, as well as their international reputation and role in regional development.
- Advance national priorities, having particular regard to Ireland’s competitiveness and economic resilience, but also to its wider policy objectives including, for instance, climate action, digitalisation, and health and wellbeing.
Programme Outline
With an overarching budget of at least €500m from 2026 to 2030, the INSPIRE Programme will support two broad categories of research equipment:
- Local Institutional Infrastructure: equipment used routinely for both teaching and research purposes within a higher education institution, typically costing between €25,000 and €500,000.
- Shared Advanced Infrastructures: costing in excess of €500,000, these refer to larger-scale more advanced equipment appropriately shared across a number of institutions and also with external users.
It is being administered by the Higher Education Authority and Research Ireland, under the oversight of the Department, and is being delivered in two phases.
INSPIRE Phase One
Under Phase One, each higher education institution will be invited to submit an application including:
- Its overarching strategic foundation and intent for the totality of INSPIRE investments in it, ensuring a strategic and systematic approach to all funding secured under the programme.
- A detailed, evidence-based and prioritised application for support for Local Institutional Infrastructure. This funding is being prioritised in Phase One in light of the critical deficits existing across the sector.
- Outline expressions of interest for Shared Advanced Infrastructures –whose funding will be the primary focus of INSPIRE Phase Two.
It is envisaged that up to €150m will be awarded this year and next for Local Institutional Infrastructure under Phase One. While the agencies will be operating a rigorous, independent process in line with the requirements of the public spending code, it is intended that all of the higher education institutions will have the opportunity to benefit from the INSPIRE programme and, in doing so, to raise their performance. The agencies are working with each other and all stakeholders to deliver on this.
The administration of Phase One is being led by the Higher Education Authority and a dedicated team has been established in the agency for this purpose. The Authority is now writing to all eligible higher education institutions inviting them to submit their Phase One applications.
Funding awards will be announced towards the end of this year.
INSPIRE Phase Two
Under Phase Two, building on the expressions of interest submitted in Phase One, detailed proposals will be submitted to Research Ireland for Shared Advanced Infrastructures.
These will be significant - both in scale and national importance – research infrastructures that are strongly aligned with Ireland’s strategic priorities, having particular regard to our competitiveness and productivity.
Funding for successful proposals will be awarded on the basis of a competitive review process. In parallel, a central equipment access portal will be built and actively managed so that all prospective equipment users outside the host institution, as well as inside it, can see what is located where, how they can access it and how much it will cost them.
This is particularly important to prospective industry users of Shared Advanced Infrastructures, enabling them to access equipment that they may not have in-house and which can help them to drive forward their innovation ambitions.
Development of the INSPIRE Programme:
Programme for Government 2025
The Programme for Government 2025 includes a commitment to examine a funding stream for research infrastructure, along the lines of the original Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and grounded in the Government’s wider prioritisation of research and innovation as “key drivers of economic progress”.
Working Group on Research Infrastructure
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science established an expert Working Group on Research Infrastructure in March 2025 to advance this commitment. The Group reviewed the good practices of the PRTLI, national activity since then in this area and international good practice. The Working Group’s report was published to coincide with INSPIRE’s launch in November 2025.
National Development Plan
The National Development Plan 2021-30 (NDP) recognises that “continued public investment in research and innovation […] will support Ireland’s ambition to position itself as a global innovation leader, underpinning a sustainable and resilient economic model that is truly knowledge-based”. Underpinned by the expert Working Group’s analysis and findings, a comprehensive research infrastructure investment programme formed an important part of this Department’s submission to the NDP review undertaken by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation earlier in 2025.
Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity
Published in September 2025, Ireland’s Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity emphasises the contribution of research, innovation and skills to Ireland’s future economic performance and resilience. Its first priority action is the establishment of a research infrastructure investment programme “to boost basic and applied research and innovation, build the talent pipeline for our indigenous and FDI enterprise base and continue to strengthen Ireland’s capabilities in frontier, emerging and deep technology sectors”.