| IFA Deputy President Eddie Downey met Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and the Director of Teagasc Gerry Boyle in Moorepark, Co Cork on the serious shortage of agricultural college places. Mr Downey pushed for an immediate solution to be implemented to address this issue. He said "farm families must get assurance that the agricultural college places, their sons and daughters have applied for this coming year are secure." Following the meeting with both the Agriculture Minister and Gerry Boyle, the IFA Deputy President Eddie Downey said a solution must be found whereby the one third of potential students who have applied for places and are likely to be turned down, are accepted. Mr Downey said "the importance of agricultural education was identified in the Food Harvest 2020 report particularly by the development of commercial and management skills as a core part of training courses. Turning down students who want to make a career from farming sends a totally wrong message to aspiring young farmers and will restrict the capacity to achieve these targets." "Teagasc resources must be fully mobilised to ensure that all who have applied and want to embark on a career in agriculture are given the opportunity to do so," he concluded. |
Friday, 15 July 2011 15:30