Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the response from the Minister of State. As she stated, Teagasc has full responsibility and the part-time course is treated or seen as adult education. I hope the Minister of State can take my problems and issues with it on board.I am talking about exceptions rather than opening the floodgates on this. It would be shameful if one or several young individuals felt because of their circumstances on the family farm that they would have to farm untrained for five to six years before reaching the age of 23 and taking up the course on a part-time basis. This would be detrimental to individuals who would be five or six years out of the education system when starting the course. It would also have a negative effect on their farming capabilities and the efficiency of the farm if they were to farm untrained. The Minister could, in consultation with Teagasc, come up with a special case arrangement in this situation.