The scale of the reductions facing DARD over the next 18 months became clearer this week, with the Department launching a consultation exercise on the savings it proposes to make in 2015/16.

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill described the cuts as “unprecedented”, adding that difficult decisions will have to be taken on the services DARD will be able to deliver now and in the future.

The headline figure is a £29.9m reduction (15.1% cut) in the DARD resource budget for 2015/16.

Given that over half of that budget goes on direct staff costs, the Department has proposed shedding 300 posts, which equates to roughly a 10% reduction in staff numbers. These posts are expected to go via a £100m civil service-wide voluntary exit scheme expected to begin in autumn 2015. With 720 staff in DARD over 55, and favourable terms mooted for the scheme, there could be a surge heading for the exit door.

The trimming of staff numbers is being applied right across the Department, so while the three CAFRE colleges are safe, they will be expected to cut numbers in the same way as other areas.