Cut in VECs will annihilate education services, says union

LOCAL education services face annihilation under plans by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan to more than halve the number of Vocational Education Committees (VECs), staff representatives are warning.

Yesterday’s proposal goes far beyond last year’s An Bord Snip Nua recommendation to cut them from 33 to 22, and instead sets out to reduce the number to 16.

It would result in all but City of Dublin, City of Cork, Co Cork and Donegal VECs being merged with neighbouring committees, in some cases amalgamating three VECs.