Dr DOnal Leech left an assistant professorship at the University of Montreal last year, hoping to enjoy the benefits of a burgeoning economy back home in Ireland.
As the winner of the £14,000 Dublin Millennium science scholarship back in 1988 he had every confidence that he could win basic research funding under the programme operated by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
However, a significant reduction in support for the programme, which cut money for new projects from about £1.5 million to £500,000 this year, has left Dr Leech wondering why he left.
"I am disillusioned," he said yesterday as he awaited word whether his would be one of the lucky 29 projects to receive backing from the National Research Support Board. Another 61 researchers also had projects approved by the board, but the reduction in funding means these projects will not be supported.
"If funding was as it was last year I am reasonably confident I would have got an award," he stated.
He undertook post-doctoral research at the University of Hawaii after completing his scholarship Ph.D. at Dublin City University in 1991. Between 1993 and 1997 he was in Montreal. He decided to return to Ireland for a number of reasons: "The improved economic climate, improved funding for research, coming home and having a family."
He took up a junior lecturer's post at NUI Galway in the department of chemistry and, soon after, his wife, Ms Elaine Quinlan, had their son Jack.
"When I got back I focused a lot of my time on preparing a submission for basic research funding."
He could not have anticipated, however, that the programme would undergo radical change, details of which were announced only last week by the Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Noel Treacy.
The established system of individual project submission was replaced by a university-based bidding system, with each institution applying on the basis of strategic research goals. Only a remnant of the previous scheme was left, running with a greatly reduced budget.
Dr Leech views the change as a bad decision because it will make it very difficult for basic researchers to win support.
"Basic research is the engine that drives a developing economy and develops technology. Blue skies research has to have a look-in somewhere if we are to be a first world country."
There would "now be a big scramble in the universities to put together proposals for the funding", he said.
He believes, however, that most of this support will move away from basic researchers such as him.
"I will stay and see what happens this year," he said. He has to return to lecture at Montreal for several weeks during the summer. While he would prefer to remain in his home country, he will keep his research options open.