Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister did not answer my question on those students who will not receive supports under the package that has been announced. We need to have a holistic view of agricultural education. At present, there are disparities. It is not that there are too many agencies involved, it is that they do not appear to be working together. The Minister for Education has simply dismissed concerns of the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers Association, which has raised genuine concerns. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science apparently just washed his hands entirely when the issue of disenfranchised students attending agricultural colleges was raised with him. He fobbed it off to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Now we have a situation whereby Teagasc is being asked to provide finance to students out of its existing funds. For all other students it is coming out of the Department of Education funds. Will the Minister outline to the House whether he has proposals to have a full overview of the agricultural educational system as it stands to ensure it is robust and fit to meet the challenges we know will face Irish agriculture in future?

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