Vol. 497 No. 6
139 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his officials have completed their evaluation of an application for funds made to his Department by the Salesian College of Agriculture, Warrenstown, County Meath, to allow it to upgrade all its facilities and to modernise and improve its training capacity in order that young farmers get the best possible education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25915/98]
Under section 4 of the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, Teagasc is charged, inter alia, with the provision of educational services in agriculture and horticulture. In conformity with this provision, Exchequer funding for the sector is channelled through Teagasc.
Teagasc has made a submission to my Department seeking funding over five years to meet the capital development needs of the private colleges as well as the Teagasc colleges and some local Teagasc training centres. However, as these needs will be influenced by the level of future demand for training in agriculture and horticulture Teagasc has, at my request, commissioned a study to establish the likely level of such demand. I propose to await the completion of this study before making a final decision on the funding proposals.
