Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the fact that in September of this year all students of the college of amenity horticulture in the Botanic Gardens will be moved to Teagasc in Kinsealy, County Dublin, to facilitate a €2.5 million upgrade in the Botanic Gardens increasing the Teagasc rental footprint, although all the facilities exist in Kinsealy to support this educational programme at no extra cost. [14471/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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This is an operational matter for the Teagasc, a non commercial semi state body operating under the aegis of the Department. Ministerial responsibility is confined to matters of policy in accordance with the Act and the Minister does not interfere in the day to day operations of Teagasc.

I understand that Teagasc has had a long standing relationship with the National Botanic Gardens through the location of the National College of Amenity Horticulture at the Gardens. This has been a strategically important arrangement both for Teagasc and for horticultural education in this country. The branding that is associated with the Botanic Gardens and the opportunities to work with the extensive plant collections at the Gardens has greatly enhanced horticultural education.

As part of Teagasc's ongoing upgrading of education facilities, the Teagasc Authority approved a €2.5 million capital improvement programme at the College of Amenity Horticulture in the Botanic Gardens. This decision was taken in advance of the decision to relocate the Kinsealy facility to Ashtown.

Construction of the new facilities in the Botanic Gardens is ready to proceed. Because the development is linked to the existing education facility, it will give rise to significant health and safety risks at that facility. Accordingly, Teagasc has decided to temporarily relocate staff and education programmes at the Botanic Gardens to the Kinsealy facility during the construction phase which is expected to be completed by June 2013. In the meantime, students will still need to attend at the Botanic Gardens for outdoor practical training sessions. On completion of the project, staff and education programmes will relocate back to the Botanic Gardens.