Farm Relief Services has let go of a number of staff that were hired as part of the organisation’s contract to deliver schemes such as GLAS.

Since 2013 Teagasc contracted out the delivery of some Rural Development Programme services to FRS.

“When GLAS opened there were three tranches. Now 50,000 farmers are signed up and our contract has ended,” said FRS CEO Peter Byrne.

“Around 40 staff are being let go across the 26 counties. We were impressed by the standard of young people coming through who played an important role in getting GLAS off the ground and we are confident that they are finding new jobs.”

Teagasc said that at the time of GLAS planning, FRS employed about 60 full-time equivalents in temporary employment to supply these services. “Many of these have since resigned from FRS to take up other posts. Some within Teagasc,” a Teagasc spokesperson said.

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