Sheep farmer Robert O'Mahony says he did not know he would be charged for Teagasc membership when joining his local Teagasc Knowledge Transfer group.
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Kerry farmer and ICMSA development officer Robert O’Mahony insists that he was never told he would be liable for a membership charge by Teagasc when joining a sheep Knowledge Transfer (KT) group in December.
“I knew nothing whatsoever about it until a month ago when I got the bill saying I owed them €145,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“They’re trying to hold me to ransom, saying they won’t put in the application form unless I pay them. It’s not good enough for a state agency to issue a letter like that.”
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“I’m not going to pay and if that means I don’t get paid [the KT €750], so be it. I’ll only lose out on around €370 when everything is paid, but Teagasc will lose out on €645 on me,” he maintained.
“The group itself and the facilitator were great, but this bill is leaving a sour taste.
“It’s like going to a garage with a puncture and they billing you for changing the engine.”
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Kerry farmer and ICMSA development officer Robert O’Mahony insists that he was never told he would be liable for a membership charge by Teagasc when joining a sheep Knowledge Transfer (KT) group in December.
“I knew nothing whatsoever about it until a month ago when I got the bill saying I owed them €145,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“They’re trying to hold me to ransom, saying they won’t put in the application form unless I pay them. It’s not good enough for a state agency to issue a letter like that.”
“I’m not going to pay and if that means I don’t get paid [the KT €750], so be it. I’ll only lose out on around €370 when everything is paid, but Teagasc will lose out on €645 on me,” he maintained.
“The group itself and the facilitator were great, but this bill is leaving a sour taste.
“It’s like going to a garage with a puncture and they billing you for changing the engine.”
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