Agricultural students are left out of pocket
Students on all Teagasc programmes have to spend a 12-week practical learning period on farms, and they were paid the equivalent of the minimum agricultural wage by the host farmer, up to last year.
However, in 2009, Teagasc was unable to place all students, because the practical learning hosts could not afford to pay them the minimum agricultural wage.
“Accordingly, it was decided to reduce the allowance to students to €122 per week. This was deemed to be a round sum expenses allowance to cover the cost of travel and subsistence,” said Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith, in the Dáil, replying to Deputy James Bannon, who asked why agriculture students on work experience to obtain a green certificate in farming are expected to live on €3.20 per hour.
Mr Smith said students on practical work experience in many other educational fields are not paid at all.
