I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 227 and 237 together.
Under section 4 of the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988 Teagasc is charged, inter alia, with the provision of education services in agriculture and horticulture. Teagasc will provide about £4.9 million in 1996 to the private agricultural and horticultural colleges, for the provision of these services. This expenditure mainly relates to staff salaries.
The provision of a maintenance grant to the colleges is a matter for the Teagasc authority to consider in the context of formulating its overall expenditure on research, training and advisory services for the year. I hope the authority will be able to make such a provision in 1996.
The question of staff resources has to be considered in the context of the Government decision on recruitment in the public sector.