TEAGASC COULD become “a zombie research and development organisation” if proposed cuts were fully implemented, the director of the research and development organisation, Prof Gerry Boyle said yesterday.
He told the annual conference of the Agricultural Science Association in Castleknock, Dublin, that while he accepted cuts had to be made, the decisions had to be sensible ones.
“However, I must warn that some of the reductions being mooted for the Teagasc budget would simply leave the organisation in a position where it would be unable to deliver its services with any kind of effectiveness and credibility,” he said. “If the cuts are too severe then long-term damage will be done not just to Teagasc, but also to the farming and food industries here,” said Prof Boyle who said the budget had been cut by €13 million this year.
He said there was a lack of appreciation in some circles of the critical economic importance of the agri-food and wider bio-sector to Ireland’s economy. The agricultural industry, he added, did not contribute to the current difficulties and would be among the first sector to emerge from recession.
Ireland has neglected to properly develop and exploit its “food island” reputation and has created a basic commoditised and relatively low-value industry, Jim Power, chief economist with Friends First told the conference.
He said a strategy needed to be put in place for the Irish agri-food industry, before it goes the way of the coal miners in Britain. Farming was a victim rather than a beneficiary of the Celtic Tiger and the only real benefit was the ability to sell sites and development land at exorbitant prices.
Gerry Gunning of the Irish Farmers’ Association’s rural development committee said the McCarthy report proposals to cut €204 million from farm schemes would cost the exchequer €240 million in increased welfare costs, as 12,000 job losses would result.