Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and am glad to hear Teagasc hopes to appoint someone. I know it not something the Minister can simply sanction. There are rules and regulations, and with the moratorium on recruitment of staff, there are certain routes that must be taken. However, I come from a county that has a very dedicated farming community, in particular a very dedicated dairy farming community, which has been left without an adviser since last August, when the previous adviser left. It is not good enough that they have been left since then and that we have not had some sort of response until now, especially as we are coming into April. The timing could not be worse, with the abolition of quotas. Now more than ever, farmers need the advisers there to ensure they have advice on how it affects them, how they may need to adapt, and how they can benefit from it. Some of the farmers have said they will withhold their subscriptions from Teagasc, which none of us wants to see happen. I am glad to hear that there is movement on it. I ask the Minister to continue treating it as a matter of urgency.

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