Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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100. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to ensure that Teagasc - the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority - is enabled to recruit additional agricultural advisers in the context of there having been a reduction in excess of 40% in terms of front-line advisers in the past eight years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27836/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The new delegated sanction arrangements for the management of public service numbers announced by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in Budget 2014 will provide public bodies with greater discretion over staff appointments, but strictly within an overall pay framework. I expect the delegated sanction arrangements for the management of staff numbers in Teagasc to be finalised shortly. Formal delegated sanction will be subject to Teagasc compliance with binding pay bill ceilings. Within the parameters of that over arching policy, the question of allocating additional resources to the advisory service is an operational matter for Teagasc.

Teagasc is also re-configuring the way in which it delivers advisory services. The actions include greater use of discussion groups, sub-contracting the delivery of non-core work, and establishing strategic alliances with private providers. The primary objective of such arrangements is to maintain the strong focus of Teagasc advisors on knowledge transfer activities while also providing a scheme - support service to farmers.