Vol. 460 No. 6
77 Dr. McDaid asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the funding, if any, that will be made available in 1996 for private agricultural and horticultural colleges to enable them to employ adequate staff, provide necessary facilities and maintain buildings. [1553/96]
227 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will provide a subvention to an agricultural college (details supplied) in County Monaghan for the provision of additional staff and facilities and the maintenance of buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2090/96]
237 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason an application for more funds being sought by the association of private agricultural and horticultural colleges has been refused in spite of the recommendations from Teagasc made specifically to his Department in mid 1995 in regard to increased funding for such colleges. [1877/96]
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.
