There are places still available on the full-time Fetac Level 5 Green Cert course at Westport College of Further Education, Principal Michael Murphy has said.

There are also places on the college’s Level 6 Horticulture course, he said.

“We definitely have five to 10 places on each course and people who wish to complete their Green Cert may do so at the college.

“The Green Cert course starts in mid-September, it runs for two academic years and the horticulture course runs for one year.

“There are no fees for the course, it’s state-funded. There are Government charges on the part-time courses. It is €350 per year without a medical card and if you have a medical card the courses are €100 per year,” he said.

Murphy said that there is huge demand in the west for the part-time course of the Green Cert.

“The part-time course is run at night and we have 125 people booked in for this September and we already have 80 booked in for September 2016.

“The part-time course costs €1,990 and it runs for 18 months. That includes course materials and spraying courses and it’s run two nights a week,” Murphy said.

To apply you go to the Westport College of Further Education’s website and fill out the form, then you get called for interview.

“The course is a good option for people who don’t want to or can’t travel to colleges that are further away.

“This is the third year the Green Cert has been running in the college and there’s a huge demand in the west for it.”