Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

Department of Agriculture, Marine and Food

BIM Training Programmes

6:00 pm

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 329: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will appoint a second teacher at a college (details supplied) in County Cork to enable students complete their skipper ticket training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12759/11]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the loss of a teacher at a college (details supplied) in County Cork in view of the fact that the school now only has one teacher left and it is not possible to complete a full Skipper Ticket course at the college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12785/11]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 331 together.

BIM is an independent statutory body and the leading provider of vocational training to the seafood industry. BIM has advised my Department that the demands of delivering the 14 week intensive course leading to the Skipper Full Certificate of Competency require the availability of two Master Mariner plus other instructors with maritime qualifications satisfying the requirements of the Marine Survey Office of the Department of Transport.

In August, 2008 the employment contract of one Master Mariner Instructor in the Regional Fisheries Centre, Castletownbere concluded. As a result the Skipper Full Certificate of Competency course could not be offered in Castletownbere. Aspiring candidates were redirected to BIM's National Fisheries College, Greencastle, Co. Donegal. Following the retirement a Master Mariner in Greencastle in December 2010, BIM had to cancel Skipper Full Certificate.

My Department and BIM have commenced discussions on addressing the personnel needs of delivering the Skipper Full Certificate course in the context of BIM's Employment Control Framework targets. BIM advise that in the interim it intends to seek instructors on a service supply basis on the Government's eTenders site as a matter of urgency.

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