VEC’s breach of spending rules sees cut to special needs services

A special needs service has been hit with an effective funding cut because of a failure by County Cork VEC to adhere to rules on the payment of teachers’ wages.

Some staff of St Joseph’s Foundation, Charleville, Co Cork, were being paid €17 to €24.89 an hour to fill an allocation of more than 2,200 hours.

However, the grant drawn down from the Department of Education was to cover a rate of €40.85 an hour.