Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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322. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an agency (details supplied) in County Mayo will be provided with more resources in order to be able to provide a service to all the people that require it in County Mayo, in view of the need for this service and the importance of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20002/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Agriculture, (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, Teagasc has statutory responsibility for the delivery of education, advisory and research services to the agriculture sector. Teagasc develops its programmes and services in conjunction with its clients and partners overseen by the Teagasc Authority comprising representatives of the main stakeholder groups in the agri-food sector.

Teagasc currently employs over 1,400 staff at some 50 locations throughout the country. The allocation of staff to particular locations is exclusively an operational matter for Teagasc and not something that my Department can become involved with.

My Department has, however, been working to provide Teagasc with more resources for the advisory and education service. It includes sanctioning 44 additional permanent posts this year and recently approving 20 temporary teachers to facilitate extra places on the Teagasc Green Cert Programme from September.