Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 May 1993

Vol. 431 No. 3

Written Answers. - Teagasc Staff.

Richard Bruton

Question:

84 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if Teagasc currently employs 100 wholetime temporary staff; the duties those staff are engaged in; the number engaged on contract; the duration of the contracts; the special skills they have that are not available among Teagasc's permanent staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. J. Walsh)

The number of temporary staff employed by Teagasc is 81. These are deployed as follows:

Category	Number	Work area
professional	49	research (8) general advisory (37) teaching/education (4)
technician	8	laboratory analytical services (6) agricultural colleges (1) systems analyst (1)
clerical/administrative	24	secretarial/administrative (21) accounts (2) information technology (1)

The contracts range up to three years. I have been advised by Teagasc that the staff in question have been recruited for specific programme areas and most of them on foot of external funding. Teagasc have stated that they are mainly recruited because of a shortage of staff in specific areas. The question of temporary staff in Teagasc is being examined by my Department and the Department of Finance.