Warnings against cuts to education board staff

The 16 bodies that replace city and county vocational education committees (VECs) must be left with enough staff to continue effective education and training, the sector’s representative body has warned.

As Education Minister Ruairi Quinn prepares to publish law to set up the Education and Training Boards (ETB) within weeks, the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) said there are fears that staffing limits could be set too low.

IVEA general secretary Michael Moriarty said key jobs like adult education officers remained unfilled in at least seven VECs because of the ban on public service recruitment and promotion, but there was a danger that the impact would be felt hardest by students if there were further losses.