Department for Moorepark?
Cork East Fianna Fail TD Ned O'Keeffe said Minister McCreevy confirmed the decision when he attended a Fianna Fail organised Easter Rising commemoration ceremony in Fermoy last Sunday. Mr O'Keeffe said Fermoy was a suitable location for providing Department services to farmers in the north east Cork intensive farming area.
It was announced on Budget day that 70 Department of Agriculture and Food jobs in Cork city were being transferred to Macroom.
But Co Cork's North and Central IFA regions rejected the move, on grounds that it would necessitate a long journey through Cork city for farmers from the east and the north of the county.
Minister McCreevy's latest decision to transfer 90 staff from Cork to Moorepark has been welcomed by Cork North IFA chairman Sean O'Leary. But farmers across the county, from the Old Head of Kinsale to the east of Bandon, and back to Macroom and Millstreet are reported to be very concerned with the proposal - because they would have to travel long distances to Moorepark to transact their business.
Cork Central IFA chairman Gerard O'Connell called on Ministers McCreevy and Walsh to clarify what section of the Department is proposed for Moorepark.
He said farmers in Cork Central are left wondering where their District Veterinary Office (DVO) will be.
A third office, on the outskirts of Cork city, would complete the picture for farmers in the central DVO region, he said.
He also sought clarification of plans for the Department's regional veterinary laboratory at Model Farm Road in the city. He said it looked as if there had not been any pre-planning for the decentralisation programme.
