Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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100. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to deal with the large number of individuals who have expressed interest in attending green certificate distance-learning courses, but who have no available courses to attend and require green certificates to operate certain parts of their business; if it is envisaged that additional distance-learning courses will be introduced in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33870/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Teagasc is the main provider of further education in agriculture, food, horticulture, forestry and equine studies. The Teagasc Green Cert course has been developed to meet the training requirements for full-time or part-time farmers. The course covers subjects such as the environment, farm safety and animal welfare as well as modules dealing with production agriculture, farm business management and succession. It is offered at Teagasc Regional Education Centres and Agricultural Colleges as a distance learning option. It is Teagasc policy to accommodate all farmers that require places on the Green Cert course. Interest is currently exceptionally high due to the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and the National Reserve. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, approved the appointment of 20 temporary teachers in 2014 to meet the Green Cert demand. It enabled Teagasc to substantially increase intake from a normal level of 500 annually to 1,500 enrolees, a threefold increase. Teagasc was recently granted approval to hire a further 20 temporary teachers bringing the overall allocation to date to 40. It will enable Teagasc to provide an additional 1,000 Green cert places this autumn.

My Department continues to work closely with Teagasc to explore all available options to maximise participation in the Green Cert.