Commissioner Dacian Cioloş
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers (ICMSA) said it would schedule a meeting of the European Milk Board (EMB) in Dublin to coincide with Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloş‘ forthcoming visit.
Although the Commissioner’s travel arrangements have not been confirmed, it is expected he will arrive on the evening of September 30th and depart on October 1st, 2010, following scheduled meetings. However, a spokesperson for the EU Commission in Dublin said the arrangements were “very tentative” at the moment and were subject to change.
The farm body said it had proposed to the EMB that it hold its next conference in Dublin in October but would be prepared to move that date forward so that the Commissioner could be in attendance.
An ICMSA spokesman said the conference will will be attended by dairy farmers from all over the European Union.
It is understood that Commissioner Ciolos has expressed a wish to visit a farm while in Ireland depending on time constraints.
The ICMSA have proposed the farm of Mr Pat McCormack, Lisheen, Co Tipperary, to host the Commissioner’s anticipated farm visit. Mr McCormack’s is considered one of the best young farmers in the Munster region and his expertise has been recognised by his recent election to the ICMSA Dairy Committee to host the Commissioner’s much anticipated farm visit.
Staying on farming matters:-
Teagasc Forced To Consider Turning Away Agri Students
Hundreds of agricultural students are expected to be refused entry to Teagasc courses this Autumn, due to a massive surge in applications.
Although final numbers have yet to be confirmed, the education body is expected to record a 30% increase in student applications compared to last year, which in its own right was a record year.
Some 1,044 students secured places on Teagasc college courses last year, with a further 500 enrolled on courses at local Teagasc centres.
Head of education at Teagasc, Paddy Browne stated:-
“There was huge competition for places on courses beginning in September this year. Last year two colleges, Kildalton and Mountbellew, had to turn away students but this year we believe all colleges will have to do the same. Final numbers are not available yet because we are still analysing dual applications where students applied to more than one college.”
Mike Pearson, principal of Gurteen College, Ballingarry, Roscrea in Co Tipperary, said the college received 150 applications for 75 places on its Level 5 Certificate.
Application numbers for specialised advanced courses are also expected to be up on previous years.
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