This article is from page 18 of the 2011-10-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
A DECISION to retain a VEC suboffice in Ennis will be determined by the outcome of “local discussions”, a meeting has heard.
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, has outlined proposals to amalgamate Clare VEC with Limerick City and Limerick County VECs.
The new entity would be known as a Local Education and Training Board (LETB).
CEO George O’Callaghan told the October meeting of Clare VEC that while the new LETB will require a headquarters, “there will be local discussions” that will determine the location of any potential sub office.
“You must have a designated headquarters and after that it is a matter of discussions,” he added.
Mr O’Callaghan said that from next August third-level grants would be administered by Dublin City LETB. He said that while Clare VEC will continue to deal with existing applications for a three to four years, it would not accept new applications.
Responsibility for school transport will be transferred to Bus Eireann in January, he said.
Clare TD and Fine Gael Deputy, Pat Breen has called for the retention of a sub office in Ennis.
Deputy Breen has argued that the proposal would be cost-neutral because the Department of Education and Skills owns the building in Ennis.
Mr O’Callaghan also told the meeting that the department had also published the heads of a Bill outlining the proposed new legal structure of new VEC entities. He said the Bill proposed changes to the make up of vocational education committees.
He explained that while county councils will be represented on the new committees, the Bill contains no provision for town councils.
Mr O’Callaghan said that three local authorities – Limerick City Council, Limerick County Council and Clare County Council – would be represented on the new LETB.
Cllr Peter Considine (FF) proposed that the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) “strongly reject” the proposal.
Cllr Considine, a member of Ennis Town Council, said VECs had always represented urban and rural communities.