Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

This is an operational matter for the Teagasc authority. Teagasc has statutory responsibility for the delivery of education, advisory and research services to the agriculture sector. It is a matter for Teagasc and its board to prioritise activities in the delivery of these services and to allocate its resources in accordance with these priorities. Ministerial responsibility is confined to matters of policy in accordance with the Act and the Minister does not interfere in the day-to-day operations of Teagasc. Accordingly, the future of the Kinsealy Research Centre is an operational matter for the Teagasc authority. It would not be appropriate to interfere in decisions made by the Teagasc authority in regard to the centre.

I am aware that the Teagasc authority approved a major change programme in 2009 to reorganise and refocus the organisation to meet the significant challenges that lie ahead. This required Teagasc to implement a credible rationalisation plan to enable the organisation adapt to medium-term budgetary constraints. The programme provides for rationalisation measures across the organisation, including the advisory office network, research lands, staff reductions and prioritisation of programme activities.

As part of this programme, the Teagasc authority concluded that the Kinsealy Research Centre is no longer strategically essential to its activities and that it should be closed with staff and activities relocating in the main to the Ashtown Research Centre.

It is the view of the Teagasc authority that it cannot maintain four sites in the greater Dublin area in close proximity to one other and that they are not being used to capacity at present. Teagasc evaluated all four sites relative to one other. It considered the potential savings on overheads and whether programmes currently carried on at the four sites could be streamlined. Following this assessment, it reluctantly concluded the Kinsealy centre should close. The decision was not taken lightly but was driven by the need to review services and rationalise where feasible.

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