VEC chiefs divided on redeployment
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn confirmed last week that the previous government’s plans to cut the number of VECs from 33 to 16 will proceed, although he made some changes to the mergers that will take place to facilitate the move.
The plans will help save an estimated €5 million a year in the sector, with the reduction in the number of chiefs executive contributing a significant proportion of the savings, along with disposal of VEC properties.
The Department of Finance has blocked the appointment of permanent chiefs executive to any VEC since the plans were first put forward, meaning 11 of the 33 VECS have acting chiefs whose contracts are being renewed until the new bodies are formally set up.
But the 22 permanent chiefs are to be ranked in order of seniority with those who have served longest getting their pick of VEC to head — leaving at least six who will have to be redeployed.
Under the scheme proposed by the Department of Education, they can be redeployed to an equivalent position in the education sector or the wider public service but it is understood they would keep their current pay levels. The salary scales of VEC chiefs range from almost €100,000 to €146,000.
While the system will suit most of the longer-serving chiefs executives, many others will be left with the option of having to move to the headquarters of a new VEC or move out of the education sector.
“While it suits those in the more senior positions, those down the list risk either having to relocate or move to a different role in the public service, possibly not even in the education sector,” a senior figure in one of the largest VECs told the Irish Examiner.
The proposals are due to be discussed today by the Department of Education with representatives of the chiefs executive and their union, SIPTU.
The Chief Executive and Education Officers’ Association (CEEOA) is due to meet and consider a response to the plans in the coming days.
After the changes announced last week, only City of Dublin VEC and the county VECs in Donegal and Kerry will remain as standalone committees.
Elsewhere, instead of leaving Cork’s two VECs as separate entities as proposed last October by his predecessor Mary Coughlan, Mr Quinn has decided they should merge, while Tipperary’s two VECs will be amalgamated instead of being merged into other new bodies.
