Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

There is a role for me to ensure that Teagasc spends its budget properly and gets value for money. I have spoken to the director of Teagasc many times on a series of matters, including how it prioritises and where it spends money and how it envisages its strategic role in respect of developing the agrifood industry. I note it is doing a great deal of good work in this regard. Consequently, I have a role from a policy perspective. Teagasc is a hugely important part of the agrifood story in Ireland from the point of view of horticulture, crops, animal husbandry and research on all areas from developing cheeses to pesticides. However, this is part of a broader rationalisation programme that involves reducing the number of sites from which Teagasc operates and which also involves some expenditure to ensure it can continue to operate at a high level from a research and development perspective. It should be seen from that perspective, rather than pointing to specific expenditure and ignoring the savings that are made as a result of the move from Kinsealy over a longer period.

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