Committee backs VEC chief over lost funds

THE head of a Vocational Education Committee (VEC) was fully backed by committee members yesterday after he revealed how it has lost €18,000 of public money on a school IT project and not €167,000 as was feared.

Barra O Briain, the chief executive of the County Cork VEC, said he regrets the debt that arose following the collapse of a private company which had entered into a €215,00 lease purchase deal with the VEC.

“But the County Cork VEC and its executive cannot have accountability for a company that closes down. It’s a pity it happened, but it did happen,” he said.