There continues to be a surge in demand for Level 5 and Level 6 Teagasc agriculture courses.

The Irish Farmers Journal has learned that in the region of 4,000 people have, at this stage, registered their interest in starting a course this year. The Level 5 and Level 6 courses are commonly know as the Green Cert.

In a normal year, some 500 people apply to join the Green Cert. However, this rose to 1,500 last year and it is now expected that somewhere in the region of 4,000 people are looking for a place this year.

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The demand is being driven by the need to have a Level 6 agricultural qualification in order to qualify for the National Reserve and Young Farmers Scheme as part of the new Common Agricultural Policy. A person must have commenced an agricultural course by September 2016 in order to receive payment in these schemes.

To deal with the demand from students last year, Teagasc received special funding to hire 20 tutors to cover the extra staff. It is understood that Teagasc will be looking for approximately 25 additional staff to cater for the increased demand this year. Teagasc is still subject to an employment embargo, but these constraints have been eased somewhat, but not entirely, in recent times.

Tony Pettit, head of education with Teagasc, confirmed that the demand is most acute west of the Shannon.

“We’re seeing in the region of 60% of the demand coming from the west and north west,” Pettit said.

At the time of print, the approximate numbers in the regions in the west, north west and border regions are: Donegal/Sligo/Leitrim: 660; Longford/Roscommon: 300; Galway: 350; Mayo: 450 and Cavan/Monaghan: 450.

Pettit also confirmed that to cater for all 4,000 people, the group is likely to be split over two years.

“The 4,000 who are looking to get in need to be on stream by September 2016, so we will be looking at the possibility of splitting this group over two years. Remember, these people need to have started the course by 2016.

In June, Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that a review of the Green Cert is currently being undertaken. The model has not changed much in the 30 years since it was established.