The Irish government plans to launch one- and two-year postdoctoral fellowships, worth up to €185,000 (US$252,000) each, to prompt early-career female researchers to stay in or return to the scientific workforce after childcare or other breaks. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) in Dublin will announce the 20 or so Advance Fellowship grants by June, says Elena Martines, the SFI's scientific programme officer. Currently, 35% of SFI-funded Irish postdocs and 20% of SFI-funded academic researchers are women, says Martines. “This is a very bold programme,” she says, noting that few similar initiatives exist.