Agriculture graduates back on track at GMIT

A SOLUTION has been found to a qualifications problem regarding agricultural graduates of Mountbellew Ag. College/GMIT that could have prevented them taking up positions as advisors/planners for farmers in the GLÁS scheme.

West Galway Fine Gael TD, Sean Kyne, said that Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, had written to him outlining changes being set in train that would resolve the issue that arose earlier this year.

Minister Coveney said that the Dept. of Agriculture had been informed by the Principal of the Mountbellew College that they are in the process of offering Mountbellew/GMIT graduates additional training modules.

The modules will cover what the Minister described as ‘the core subjects’ of soil science in addition to animal and crop reduction and will be taken up to Level 8 degree level. These additional training modules will be offered in the period from August 31 to September 11 next, and will mean that the graduates of Mountbellew/GMIT have the required educational qualifications for them to be approved as GLÁS/FAS (farm advisory system) advisors.

Deputy Kyne said that he warmly welcomed the ending of what he described as ‘a long running saga’ for the college and for the graduates.

“It would have been most unfortunate if these graduates couldn’t have taken up positions as GLÁS advisors over the coming years. At least now this opportunity will be open to them,” said Deputy Kyne.

The issue was raised in the Dáil last February by East Galway Fianna Fáil TD Michael Kitt who at the time called on Minister Coveney to ‘stop splitting’ hairs on the graduates qualification issue.

At the time, Deputy Kitt said that at the core of the problem was a stipulation from the Dept. that the Mountbellew/GMIT graduates must have a Level 8 degree qualification [essentially an honours degree] as distinct from the Level 7 ‘ordinary degree’ qualification that they get at Mountbellew/GMIT.

In his letter to Deputy Sean Kyne last week, Minister Coveney said that following a meeting with Mountbellew/GMIT earlier this year, proposed add-on models to ‘address the shortfall’ were submitted to the Department for consideration.

“My Department recently advised Mountbellew/GMIT that completion of these add-on modules would allow those graduates of the BSc in Agricultural Science and Environmental Management with the add-on BSc (Hons.) in Rural Enterprise and Environment Management – who currently have a shortfall in animal production and soil science – to meet the required educational qualifications.

“My Department is informed by the Principal of Mountbellew College that they are in the process of offering Mountbellew/GMIT graduates additional training modules in these core subjects from August 31 to September 11, 2015,” said the Minister in his letter to Deputy Kyne.