Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for giving me an opportunity to raise the staffing problems that are currently mitigating against the three private agricultural colleges, as opposed to the State-run Teagasc colleges. I am speaking about this issue in the context of the moratorium on public service recruitment. The college I know best, which is in Mountbellew, County Galway, has 120 applicants this year, as it did last year. During the successful years of the Celtic tiger economy, when increased numbers of jobs were available outside the farm, most agricultural colleges had reduced numbers of applicants. The huge impetus that exists in the sector at the moment will be lost, unfortunately, if something is not done about staffing levels. I assume the other two private colleges, like Mountbellew, are unable to fill positions that are vacant because of teacher retirements. The quota of teachers that exists at present means that the college in Mountbellew will be able to accept just 50 of the 120 applicants this year. When one considers that it is the only agricultural college in the west of Ireland, and that the vast majority of the 120 applicants are from the western area, one can take it that this problem is causing huge problems for everybody concerned.

In the few minutes I have at my disposal, I want to thank the board of Teagasc. Our college was on death row but, through the good offices of the director of Teagasc, Dr. Gerry Boyle, and the board of directors, it was given another two years. I am delighted the Minister of State, Deputy Connick, is here to speak about this matter because he has a direct interest in it. I am sure it is clear to him that if the embargo on replacing retiring teaching staff is continued, in a couple of years time the college will close anyway, irrespective of what will happen in two or three years time. However, the matter is much more complicated than that. It would seem daft to many people on the outside. As the Minister of State knows, the problem is that the salaries of the teachers in the private colleges are recouped because Teagasc is paying them. The ridiculous situation now exists that when a teacher retires in one of the State-run colleges, such as Ballyhaise or Kildalton, there is no ban on a replacement being recruited. However, in Mountbellew, Pallaskenry and Gurteen colleges, which are privately owned, retiring teachers cannot be replaced. If this continues, these colleges will be strangled.

I, like every other Member, understand the public sector recruitment ban was introduced to save money. In the cases in question it saves nothing, however. The same teachers in the private colleges are being paid by Teagasc anyway. It is against this background that I want the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister for Finance to examine the colleges in question because they are in great danger of being forced to close without anyone talking about doing so officially.

I have not spoken about this matter with the staff at the colleges. I am raising it because I will fight any day to ensure the west has an agricultural college of its own. There are different farming practices and patterns in the west and not to have its own agricultural college teaching these would be disastrous for its farming community. If this recruitment embargo is allowed to continue, the west will not have a college very soon.

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