A "turf-war" has developed between two government departments over the composition of a new expert group which is examining how the €2 billion research budget should be managed.
The new Research Commission is expected to establish a framework for control of the research budget. But education sources say that tensions have developed between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Education over the composition of the group.
Membership of the new commission was announced last week, but a nominee from the Department of Education has still to find a place on the expert group. Education, it said, had nominated two people, but Enterprise needed to clarify the name of the one person who would sit on the expert group.
Responding to queries from The Irish Times, the Department of Education said: ". . . Consultation with regard to the Department's nominees to the research commission is still ongoing between this Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Details of these consultations are a matter between the Departments in question."
Education sources insist that the delay is the latest skirmish in a turf war between Education and Enterprise over control of funding.
At present, a large element of research funding is administered by the Department of Education and the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which runs the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI). Enterprise controls another large block via Science Foundation Ireland.