Teagasc office closures to spark letter campaign

Clare county councillors have urged the council to write a letter of protest to Agriculture Minister Brendan Smyth over the planned closure of two Teagasc offices in Clare under a radical cost-cutting programme, which is designed to save about €14 million.
The removal of thee offices was described by councillors as yet another attack on rural parts of Clare at a time when local farmers had suffered a dramatic reduction in their incomes in recent years.
The opposition to the proposed cuts in Teagasc services was expressed by councillors at a council meeting on Monday following a presentation from Clare Teagasc area manager Gerry McMahon.
Mr McMahon noted that the local organisation is working with the Rural Resource Development Company to draft a report analysing the impact of office closures and other cuts on the local economy.
Under its rationalisation programme, Teagasc plans to close the Ennistymon office on August 1 and the Scariff office on December 31.
The North Clare office in Ennistymon has 540 farmers as clients, including 450 in the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS), with three advisors with clerical support.
Only one advisor is based in this office, with two more advisors travelling from the Ennis office. Last year, this office was served by five advisors but it was subsequently reduced to one when one advisor retired. Two others were laid off when their contract expired and a fourth was transferred to the Scariff office.
Currently, Teagasc employs 20 advisors in the county, 12 of which are based in the Ennis office.
The Ennistymon office was recently refurbished following the replacement of windows, doors and roof together with the installation of a new kitchen.
Former Teagasc advisor Michael Hillery, who worked for about 30 years in the Ennistymon office, claimed it didn’t make economic sense to close the Ennistymon office to save about €7,000 annually.
Councillor Hillery proposed the council should write to the head office in Teagasc and Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith opposing the closure.
“A portocabin was required to provide extra accommodation costing €5,000 annually to rent, leaving spare capacity at three locations.
“Since I joined the Teagasc advisory service almost 37 years ago, the staff were always dispersed throughout the county. The proposed closure of these offices will require extra accommodation in Ennis.”
Councillor Pat Hayes stressed that Clare farmers needed advice now more than ever before and felt that services in Teagasc offices should actually be expanded.
Councillor Michael Kelly proposed the closures should not go ahead in light of the cessation of the Department of Agriculture in Ennis.
Having dealt with staff in the Scariff office, Councillor PJ Ryan said all the employees were very co-operative when it came to helping members of the public.