Teagasc’s total expenditure in 2021 was €184,669,000, including pensions. With 32 additional staff on its books and incorporating public sector pay increases, the authority paid out some €85m to employees, up 3.7% on the previous year.

In figures published as part of its annual report and 2021 financial statements, Teagasc had a total income of €194m, up 3.9% on 2020 and leaving an “operating surplus” of €9.6m.

Teagasc income included State grant aid of almost €145m, an increase of over €7m on 2020. Some €10.5m of Department of Agriculture funding was allocated to “human resource purposes”.

The authority also received €4.4m in EU funding, €4.6m through livestock sales, €37.7m through its operations and €5.5m in “other grants, donations and voluntary levies”. It took in €11.1m in advisory service fees and €5.4m through student fees at Teagasc’s colleges.

Teagasc’s general operating expenses of €43.3m were €2.5m greater than 2020, with increases reported in its spending on research, stationery, IT and farm supplies due to “increased activity”.

The authority’s spending on “travelling and subsidence” for employees was €2m, only slightly up on 2020. It spent €744,000 on livestock, up from €490,000 in 2020. Teagasc also awarded €471,000 in student grants and €6m on Walsh scholarship grants.

Meanwhile, staff training cost €509,000 and retirement benefit costs added up to €33.2m. In 2021, 141 Teagasc staff received overtime payments totalling €1m with the highest amount paid to any individual at €20,701.

Overall, Teagasc had 79 staff earning more than €100,000 and 491 staff earning more than €60,000. Professor Gerry Boyle completed his term as Teagasc director in September 2021. His salary for that year was €170,000, up from €167,000 in 2020.

The authority had property sales worth €4.4m in 2021 and invested €346,000 in Tirlán, €151,000 in Dairygold Co-op and €89,000 in Carbery Creameries shares.