Taoiseach Challenged Over Closure of Ballinamore Research Centre

By Joe Higgins, TD

During today's Leaders' Questions Joe Higgins, Socialist Party TD, challenged the Taoiseach over the closure of the Ballinamore Research Centre in Leitrim.

Mr. J. Higgins: The Taoiseach said that he was in favour of balanced regional development. Outside the Teagasc centre in Ballinamore, County Leitrim, this morning a large number of small farmers and members of the local community are protesting peacefully against the removal of the State's herd of cattle from the facility and the closure of the research centre. A large number of gardaí have also been present for the past few days to bludgeon the community into line with the disastrous decision of the Minister for Agriculture and Food to cut the Teagasc budget in 2002, thereby ending the vital research specific to that particular centre. This research touches on the livelihoods of the small farming community and downstream workers in the more marginalised and disadvantaged areas and involves a band of counties.

Mr. M. Smith: Did they pay their service charges? Unlike the Deputy.

Mr. J. Higgins: The local community in Leitrim is being bullied in exactly the same way as the decent working people of Dublin when they peacefully protested against Government stealth taxes. Millionaire ranchers do not have to worry about surviving on snipe grass; it is not an issue for them. The closure of the research facility and the ending of the research specific to the area have serious implications. It is only two years since €250,000 was invested in this facility. Will the Taoiseach intervene urgently in this situation? Will he instruct the Minister for Agriculture and Food to open talks with the local communities involved and to maintain this centre which is vital to the future economic well-being of the area and of the communities that survive in the area, both working people and small farmers? The centre is an essential part of what the Taoiseach says he favours, namely, balanced regional development.

The Taoiseach: To the best of my knowledge this concerns the Ballinamore field station which is not a research centre. Approximately three people are involved in it on a full-time basis. It is an operational decision.

Mr. S. Ryan: What about the farming community which depends on it?

The Taoiseach: This is an operational decision of the administration and, I understand, the board of Teagasc which is representative of farm interests. Those interests are represented on the board which made the decision. The Teagasc board and administration which deal directly with this believe that moving these people to Carrick-on-Shannon is the proper and better way to provide a proper and functional service. It would not be appropriate for me to direct or act the Minister to interfere with what is a functional decision of the board of Teagasc.

Mr. J. Higgins: When he wishes to do so, the Taoiseach has no problem directing Ministers and Deputies alike out to the plinth to give his side of the story. The Taoiseach is either in charge of the Government or he is not. It is less than two years since the head of the dairy research, Dr. Crosse, stated that the Ballinamore farm was an integral part of the research division of Teagasc. It is not good enough to say that this is an operational decision. This is related to the cutbacks implemented in the past two years by the Minister for Finance which have had implications down the line for ordinary people. The research in this facility is specific to the band of counties around it and to the area. It cannot be replicated elsewhere as the Taoiseach suggests. It would be possible not only to maintain the facility but to carry out research into further sustainable means by which communities and working people who depend on small agriculture can remain in rural Ireland. Will the Taoiseach please ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food to open constructive lines of communication with the local community in the area in order to resolve the issue by maintaining the facility?

The Taoiseach: I am not sure if the Deputy is really interested in my points. He says he does not care if it was an operational issue or a board decision. It was a board decision. Teagasc is not short of resources for research. It has sold its centre in Sandymount Avenue in Dublin and has about €20 million in funds. It is moving to Carlow. There are no farmers left in Sandymount.

Mr. Rabbitte: How can it be moved to Carlow because of the deal on decentralisation?

An Ceann Comhairle: The Taoiseach should be allowed to answer Deputy Higgins's question. No other Member from any other party should intervene under any circumstances.

The Taoiseach: Deputy Joe Higgins inferred that I should be able to direct Teagasc, which I refute. It is a decision of the Teagasc board. He also stated the decision was due to a lack of resources. It is not. Teagasc sold its headquarters in Sandymount Avenue and moved to Carlow.

Mr. Connaughton: It has not moved yet.

The Taoiseach: Teagasc has €20 million for research and development, which must be put to best use. Leitrim has never done as well. Over 1,000 people are working in the MBNA plant alone. Farmers involved in the Teagasc board believed this was the best thing to do. It is a field centre not a research centre.

Mr. Timmins: They did not. The former director opposed it. The Taoiseach is incorrect.

An Ceann Comhairle: The Deputy should allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

For further information, contact Joe Higgins T.D. at (01) 6183038
Email: joe.higgins@oireachtas.irlgov.ie