Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

432. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures that are being taken to reduce the waiting times for green cert courses at a college (details supplied); the numbers waiting at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33424/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Green Cert Programme is delivered by Teagasc education staff on a full-time, part-time and distance education basis at the 7 Teagasc agricultural colleges and at their local and regional education centres. The organisation and location of Green Cert courses within the Teagasc network is a matter for Teagasc management to determine.

The current exceptional demand reflects renewed interest and opportunities in agriculture, but is also directly linked to the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve, which require applicants to have a prescribed Level 6 agricultural qualification - a Green Cert or equivalent in order to qualify for payment. This was to ensure that payments were targeted at ‘trained young farmers’ who have a genuine interest in farming as a career. Approximately 2,000 young farmers required Green Cert places arising from the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve.

In order to address this situation, it was agreed that additional temporary resources would be provided to Teagasc to enable them to rapidly expand the number of Green Cert places and clear the back log of applications in the shortest possible timeframe. In conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Teagasc was approved to appoint 70 education officers and 7 administrative staff on two year employment contracts. The allocation of those resources to the different agricultural colleges etc. is an internal operational matter for Teagasc and not my Department. I understand that most have been hired and are helping to deliver record numbers of Green Cert enrolments, which are forecasted to top 4,500 for the period 2014 to 2016.

As can be expected, the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve has stimulated added interest in the adult Green Cert among other farmers who have “registered an interest” with Teagasc in completing the course. My Department has asked Teagasc to explore other staffing measures, beyond further temporary recruitment, to ensure that any residual demand for the Green Cert can be accommodated within a realistic time-frame. My Department will continue to monitor the Green Cert situation in Teagasc closely.