Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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507. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if advertising and recruitment of green certificate educators has begun in the Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal regions in view of the fact that some contracts are due to expire in September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21419/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The scheduling of recruitment competitions in Teagasc is an operational matter for Teagasc management and I have no function in the matter.

My Department has worked closely with Teagasc to address staffing issues in relation to the adult Green Cert (part-time and distance education). In conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Teagasc was approved to appoint 70 temporary teachers to meet the demand for courses. It enabled Teagasc to dramatically increase enrolments to 4,500 in the period 2014 to 2016.

As Teagasc continued to experience strong demand for the adult Green Cert their request for 15 new temporary teachers was granted earlier this year. I understand from Teagasc that the recruitment process is underway and it is planned to assign the new teachers in the next few months.

I am advised that a number of these posts will be assigned to the Northwest region to run new courses scheduled to commence in October.