Teagasc is returning to the jobs market after it confirmed that the six-year moratorium on recruitment has been lifted.
Since 2009, Teagasc has only been filling ‘mission critical’ posts after the Government imposed a ban on widespread recruitment for the organisation during the early days of the Financial Crisis.
However, in the last month the Department of Agriculture has confirmed to Teagasc new arrangements which will provide it with discretion over new appointments.
This new arrangement will allow Teagasc to recruit for new posts and replace staff that retire, however the organisations total permanent pay bill has been capped at €63.2m for 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Teagasc has said that the new arrangements will allow to move immediately to fill a significant number of critical vacancies in the organisation.
New Posts
- 75 new posts in total
- 20 in advisory
- 7 education
- 14 in research
- 24 in support
There has been a substantial drop in Teagasc’s spending since 2008 due to the moratorium, a €26m reduction in the pay bill and staff numbers have fallen by 36%.
Since 2009, Teagasc has lost 50% of its advisory staff; it has reduced from 400 to 250 in 2014.
Teagasc Director, Professor Gerry Boyle said all advisory vacancies that have arisen in the last year and a number of critical vacancies that have arisen over the past several years can now be filled.
Some 20 new front line advisors will be recruited. This will bring the total number of front-line advisers to 234.
“In education there will be seven college teachers/education officer posts filled to meet the current spike in demand for education courses,” he said.
The new arrangements for Teagasc have also been welcomed by Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
He said farmers and those in the agriculture sector need solid science to help them meet the challenge of growing the Irish agricultural sector in an environmental and economically sustainable way.