Following the confirmation that the horticulture course in Skibbereen has been axed by Cork ETB, Cork South West TD MICHAEL COLLINS argues that it is vital that the industry is supported
CORK ETB announced last week that it had cancelled the Horticulture FE Level 5 course in Skibbereen.
My information is that most applicants and successful candidates are normally found in the August and September rounds of interviews and offers of places. There are at least five persons interested in the FE Level 5 presently known to the course.
Many more would be expected. Five persons at this time of year is higher than average and would seem to indicate a greater level of demand this year versus previous years and that in the 2024-2025 academic year, a viable number of students would be obtained.
Although Kinsale College of Further Education offers horticulture-type programmes and are excellent programmes, the emphasis in that location is on permaculture and not conventional horticulture and so it would not reflect the needs of many businesses in West Cork, eg, in nursery stock production.
It is vital that horticulture is supported, especially in rural Ireland. As a country, we are at great risk due to our dependence on imports of fruit and vegetable food and many non-food plants eg, hawthorn for Irish hedgerows, since we import 90% of fruits and vegetables and at least 50% of our nursery stock, in a country technically better suited to growing nursery stock than possibly any in Europe.
Even the existing horticulture industry finds it impossible at the moment to obtain staff.
The way the horticulture course has been cancelled has been terrible.
There was little – if any – consultation with the people on the ground delivering the course. They could have been told about the projected improvement in numbers and viability.
The fact may be argued that there is no direction in higher and further education. Many courses that are taking in great numbers of students have little opportunities of those people finding work in the area, while other sections of the economy that need skilled people – like horticulture – with huge multiples of jobs available for every graduate, have courses that are being wound down or cancelled. This is simply wrong.
The FE Level 5 in Skibbereen has sent students into higher education, some of whom obtained degrees, and are adding valuable expertise and direction to the industry in Ireland.
It is desirable, arguably vital, to have the programme in order to allow people to transition to new tertiary degrees in horticulture that are planned with Cork
ETB.
The industry needs managers and leaders with the education level to displace those imports. Taoiseach Simon Harris was instrumental in promoting tertiary degrees and their development.
People in south west Cork cannot travel to Kinsale, Cork city or further, for horticulture FE 5 level courses.
Cancelling a course in Skibbereen is just another nail in the coffin of south west Cork.
Teagasc courses would require people to sometimes travel, and possibly would not fit businesses in West Cork. So the apprentice offerings would mean many in West Cork would be excluded.
All voters in Ireland matter and deserve a sustainable country and food security.
They deserve to have at least some chance of living in rural Ireland. With horticulture level 5 gone in Skibbereen that opportunity is also gone.
Is there a policy, one wonders, setting up rural Ireland to fail?
