The Salesian Agricultural College recently unveiled its new Board of Governors in advance of the upcoming academic year.
The nine member board is chaired by Dr. Edmond Harty of Dairymaster and also includes:
- Dr. Doreen Corridan, Munster AI
- Ms. Aisling Meehan, Agri Solicitor
- Mr. Richard Kennedy, Dairy Farmer
- Mr. John Mullins, Dairy farmer & Macra representative
- Mr. John Furey, Salesian Agricultural College Staff Representative
- Mr. John Donworth, Teagasc
- Fr. Dan Carroll, Rector Salesian Agricultural College
- Fr. Paddy Hennessy, Provincial Economer, Salesians of Don Bosco.
The Rector of the Salesian Agricultural College, Fr. Dan Carroll welcomed all the new members and thanked them for their commitment to agricultural education.
Speaking at the inaugural Board Meeting, Edmond Harty welcomed the new board members and said that Ireland can go a long way towards feeding the growing world population, not alone by what product we produce but by placing well educated agriculturalists assisted by modern farming technologies worldwide.
“We have the best farmers, we produce the best farmers, and some of the best farmers operating worldwide are Irish,” he said.
Derek O’Donoghue, College Principal said he looked forward to working with the new board, and that the diversity and range of experience amongst board members would be an invaluable asset to the management team of the Salesian Agricultural College.
The Board of Directors of Cunamh Teoranta are responsible for the operation of the Salesian Agricultural College and Farm in Pallaskenry which has been in Salesian ownership since 1922.
Being conscious of the need to plan for the future the services of Deloitte were engaged to provide a critical evaluation of the present structures for the operation of the Agricultural College and Farm.
The report from Deloitte provided a set of recommendations which when implemented will ensure the viability of the Agricultural College and Farm for the future.
Amongst the most important recommendations brought forward in the Deloitte Report was the appointment of an Advisory Board of Governors whose membership would be drawn from those with a wide range of experience and with particular links to the farming sector to advise and assist the management of the Agricultural College and Farm in the operation and effective management of both and to report periodically to the Board of Cunamh Teoranta.