The board of Teagasc, who were holding meetings today to decide how to deal with a €15 million shortfall, have not made any decision to close 20 of its local advisory offices.
The board will meet again in a fortnight to discuss the financial issues facing the semi-state body following Government cutbacks. A decision on closing the offices is expected to made at that meeting, although a spokesman stressed that closing the offices was one of many options open to the board. Teagasc operates 80 local offices nationwide.
Also for discussion at next month's meeting is the future of an organic training centre in Athenry, Co Galway.
Those permanent staff in the offices facing closure have been offered voluntary re-location elsewhere in the organisation.
Teagasc provides integrated research, advisory and training services for the agriculture and food industry in Ireland. Teagasc is a semi-state organisation.
The 11 member Board of Teagasc is appointed by the Minister for Agriculture and Food and has representatives from farming organisations, the food industry, the universities, the Department of Agriculture and Food and Teagasc staff.