VEC replacement boards to have extra powers

ALL schools could have access to the buying power and other expertise of the education boards that will replace VECs from next year.

The bill, to be published early next year by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, gives new powers to the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) that will replace 33 city and county VECs.

But there is dismay in the VEC sector at the reduced number of local councillors and community nominees, with more than half of about 350 councillors to lose out. The current committees include between nine and 17 councillors each that will serve until after the 2014 local elections.

The ETBs will then have just 10 local authority representatives each, with the minister free to choose the number from each council in the board’s area of up to three cities or counties.

They will also have four community representatives, and two each on behalf of parents and staff.

“In efficiency terms, this seems logical but this proposal, if implemented, will result in the abdication of any meaningful links with the local communities,” said Michael Moriarty, the general secretary of the Irish Vocational Education Association, an umbrella body for the VECs.

The VEC sector accounts for over €900 million of this year’s €8.9 billion education budget, including running costs of 240 second-level schools, dozens of further education colleges, Youthreach and other services.

Mr Moriarty said all schools and colleges not under VEC patronage may benefit from ETC supports.

“This is significant as IVEA already actively secures savings on the cost of provisions, including utilities, through the operation of a procurement service.”

A Department of Education spokesperson said a range of supports could be offered to non-VEC schools, such as land development, project management, procurement, human resources and finance. VECs are joint trustees of dozens of community schools and have started to take a role as patrons of primary schools.

A reduction in the number of VECs to 22 was suggested in the 2009 Bord Snip Nua report, but they were cut to 16, with the eventual annual cut in running costs set to top €3m. Most VECs are being amalgamated with at least one neighbouring VEC.

The changes will require some administrative staff to move offices and at least a handful of acting VEC chiefs executive may be redeployed into other public service areas.