Expenses paid to councillors on VECs condemned

THE expenses and allowances paid to councillors serving on vocational education committees (VECs) were last night condemned by a primary management leader.

The 33 city and county VECs act as managers of almost 300 vocational and community schools, as well as further education colleges and local training schemes. Their boards include councillors nominated by the local authority in each VEC area.

Paul Rowe, chief executive of Educate Together, which is patron body to almost 60 multi-denominational primary schools, said that Irish primary education remains one of the most efficient delivery systems of public service as it is run by local board members.