Teagasc office reprieve

Teagasc office reprieve


Anna-Marie Flynn

TEAGASC last week confirmed that it is to provide a service in Crossmolina until the end of October.
After a meeting of Teagasc Board members and local farmers, Teagasc management agreed to offer a reprieve of services after several protests in response to its initial closure on September 26 last.
The meeting on Monday night last was also attended by members of IFA, ICMSA and local TDs.
While the move to retain the services until the close of the month was widely welcomed by all, local TD Dara Calleary said the cutback argument Teagasc are putting forward regarding a recruitment cap is ‘completely groundless’. “I am glad that the office is reopening and I hope it will give Teagasc the space and time to reassess. Teagasc is wrong to say that they cannot put adequate staff into Crossmolina when they were allocated 36 advisor appointments this year. The Crossmolina office was very successful and the figures are there to prove it,” he said.
Deputy Calleary called on Teagasc to appoint one extra member to Crossmolina to work alongside the existing advisor in order to retain the office.
An advisor will be in attendance at the Crossmolina office three mornings per week – Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – until October 31 next.