Call to protect employment of 100 REPS planning service graduates

METHODS must be found to safeguard the employment of 100 agricultural graduates involved in the Teagasc Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) planning service, the Agricultural Science Association (ASA) declared yesterday.

ASA president Elaine Farrell, referring to a government direction that all of these REPS planners must be let go by Teagasc when their employment contracts expire over the next 12 months, said it is vital the expertise of these young professionals is not lost to the programme and to the agricultural sector.

Calling on Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to intervene and ensure an acceptable arrangement is put in place, she said the future of these graduates, who are responsible for managing 40% of all REPS plans and are delivering a significant revenue stream for Teagasc, must be protected.