Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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255. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on reports that the green certificate course is being discontinued for the 2017-18 academic year; the steps he is taking to ensure that Teagasc will provide a comprehensive syllabus in 2017 and thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7550/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The adult Green Cert is delivered on a part-time and distance education basis by Teagasc education staff.  Enrolments trebled in the period 2014 to 2016 - from 500 in a typical year to over 1,500 - arising from the education requirements of the Young Farmers Scheme and National Reserve, which required successful applicants to hold a Green Cert or equivalent in order to qualify for payment.

It was agreed that Teagasc could appoint 70 temporary education officers to rapidly expand the number of available places. 7 temporary administrators were also approved to address the huge volume of course administration that arose from the unprecedented demand. The staffing arrangements implemented to date helped Teagasc enrol 4,500 Green Cert learners since 2014.

I understand that Teagasc continue to experience strong demand for the adult Green Cert from people who have registered an interest with Teagasc in completing a future course. It is not known what proportion of that demand will materialise into formal applications in due course. However, Teagasc are actively considering a range of resource options to address projected demand on a phased basis from 2017 to 2019.

I am pleased to confirm that Teagasc’s request for 15 new temporary teaching posts was recently approved.  I understand that Teagasc intend to deploy a substantial number of these posts to alleviate acute demand pressure points in the Northwest and Northeast. Overall Teagasc would hope to offer up to 1,000 Green Cert places at a number of locations in 2017, and therefore my understanding is that there is no question of the green cert being discontinued in the current academic year.