Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 8 November 2023
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Education and Upskilling in the Agriculture Sector
Professor Frank O'Mara:
I just want to make a very brief comment. Dr. Lalor talked about that the fact that there are well over 2,000 students coming through our own system but, as the Deputy said, a lot of them see their future in farming as part time. The people who are on the distance education course with us - and there are big numbers on that course - are already in full-time jobs somewhere and a lot of those who are studying with us part-time are also working somewhere and that is how they see their farming future. That is the reality of farming now. It is harder and harder to make a full-time living out of it so people are going down the part-time route. That is not necessarily a bad thing.