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Unprecedented demand for Green Certificate places has seen courses across the country filling up rapidly.
Teagasc, the largest provider of such courses, has reported that demand appears to be stronger in 2021 compared to last year.
It is currently assessing the requirement for places, compared to available staff resources.
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that to cope with the continued demand, Teagasc will put forward a proposal for additional temporary resources to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Expenditure.
Teagasc first secured approval to appoint 80 temporary teachers in 2014 after a change in CAP rules resulted in a surge in demand for courses.
Since then, over 9,000 young farmers have completed a Green Cert.
Independent education providers are seeing similar demand.
FarmEd, based in Cahir, Co Tipperary, offers mainly online Green Cert courses that are completed over nine months.
It is into its second year of operation and has up to 120 places available annually, all of which will be filled this year.
Caroline Ryan of FarmEd told the Irish Farmers Journal that the first 60 places for March 2021 are already fully booked with a waiting list in place for the next group of 60.
Ryan said there had been substantial demand for places adding that “people have evaluated their priorities a little bit” in the wake of COVID-19.
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