Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
1444. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science what action his Department is taking to attract women into agriculture specific scholarships, educational programs and third level courses and increase female representation in these areas going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48839/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is scope for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to include actions targeting gender under-representation in institution-level gender equality action plans, which are required at institutional level to receive funding from the European Commission under Horizon Europe, or have been developed through HEI participation in the Athena Swan Ireland gender equality charter. HEI Departments/Schools can also develop gender equality action plans which may include actions targeting gender under-representation in specific discipline areas. For example, the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science holds an Athena Swan Silver level award, which includes a gender equality action plan.
The Agri-sector is a thriving area of expansion in apprenticeships. Arboriculture has been available since 2020, joined this year by Sportsturf Management, Farm Manager, Farm Technician, and Horticulture. As of end-October 2023, these programmes are already showing promising female participation levels, with 1 female arboriculturalist, 2 farm managers, 1 farm technician, and 1 hortorculturalist already registered.
To incentivise employers, the gender-based bursary, worth €2,666, is available to employers who employ apprentices in the minority gender on any national apprenticeship programme with greater than 80% representation of a single gender. Currently there are more than 40 programmes eligible for the bursary, including those in the agri-sector.
There has also been a specific focus on female participation as part of the Generation Apprenticeship national promotional campaign. For example, this year the National Apprenticeship Office (NAO) launched an initiative called 'Facts, Faces, Futures' to coincide with International Women’s Day 2023. The purpose of the initiative is to communicate the growing participation and leadership of women and girls in careers available through apprenticeship. The campaign also aims to ensure that students in girls’ schools around the country are aware of the apprenticeship programmes now available and ensure that young women in Ireland can avail of the opportunities for women through apprenticeship.
Officials from the Department of Agriculture have advised that the Teagasc education programme is delivered through its network of seven colleges (four Teagasc colleges and three linked private colleges). In 2022, the net cost of education training for young farmers was approximately €14.2 million. Teagasc’s education activities focuses on equipping young farmers with the necessary knowledge to build successful agricultural careers.
Actions being taken to attract women into agricultural education include:
- This year for the first time Teagasc participated in the EUROPEA Agro Challenge competition in Slovakia. A team of four (full time students) was selected where Teagasc specified the team would include two males and two females. The team represented Ireland and competed against 17 other European teams.
- Teagasc continue to promote their courses at school open days and career evenings. All promotional material and prospectus highlight female representation across the courses
- Bursaries are offered across colleges in hoof pairing, study trips to Brussels, study bursaries for international placement. Bursaries are promoted across all student cohorts with strong female representation at both application stage and award announcement.
- Teagasc colleges organise inter college sporting events across the year. Gaelic football, hurling and now camogie are important activities in the calendar of their agricultural colleges. They were delighted to welcome camogie back to our activities
- In 2023, Teagasc Education streamed its first live webinar from Oakpark to promote all courses to career guidance teachers and second level schools. The event was hosted by a Year 2 female student – a first for Teagasc Education www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mq9ipkB0yU.
