Excluding the net deferred funding for pensions, Teagasc’s income in 2015 was €175m, €10m higher than the previous year. The main sources of this increase were research and knowledge transfer.

Research income increased by €4.3m (17%), with €3.5m coming from externally funded projects. Teagasc Knowledge Transfer Directorate income went up by €5.5m (34%), which was made up of €3.8m in additional advisory services income and a €1.8m rise in education income.

Speaking at the publication of the Teagasc annual report and financial statements for 2015, Dr Noel Cawley, chair, said: “2015 was an extremely busy year for Teagasc in its research, advisory and education functions. That high level of output has continued into the current year, as we work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and other partners in the sector to achieve the objectives of the Food Wise 2025 Strategy for the industry.”

Nearly 40% of Teagasc’s income came from outside sources in 2015 – that is from sources other than the Government, which supported Teagasc in 2015 to the tune of €133m worth of taxpayers’ money.

Staff recruitment

Teagasc has had huge difficulty with recruiting staff since 2009, when the Government placed an embargo on staff numbers. However, this embargo was lifted in late 2015 and the semi-state body can now can recruit inside its budget.

In 2016, Teagasc recruited an extra 75 staff. Teagasc director Prof Gerry Boyle anticipates 30 retirements next year and says the body hopes to replace all of those.

In 2015 and 2016, Teagasc also recruited an extra 70 temporary teaching staff to cope with the sudden spike in demand for places on Green Cert courses.

Some 3,500 learners enrolled in Green Cert courses in 2015, compared with the usual number of 500.

With about 20 of those fixed-term contracts coming to an end this year, Prof Boyle said it is unlikely that Teagasc is going to be able to recruit new staff or renew current contracts.

Pay

Prof Boyle’s basic pay in 2015 was €139,000, down from €141,000 in 2014.

After adding in the use of a company car, this comes to €152,000 for 2015 and €153,000 for 2014.

Salaries paid to key management – which includes the directors and members of senior management – came to €584,000 in 2015, down slightly on 2014.

Some 222 employees were paid between €60,000 and €70,000; 37 were paid between €91,000 and €100,000; 19 were paid between €101,000 and €110,000; three were paid between €141,000 and €150,000; and one was paid between €151,000 and €160,000.