Schools grants cuts 'would be catastrophic'

The body representing vocational education committees, the IVEA, has said An Bord Snip's recommendation to reduce capitation grants to schools would be "catastrophic".

"During the past year, the education sector has been hit by budget cuts several times over, and schools have suffered considerably already," the IVEA said in a statement.

"Any further significant cuts could seriously affect the capacity of schools to survive...A reduction in capitation grants could well be catastrophic."

The IVEA also said it was particularly disappointed with the recommendation for the abandonment of the county-based Vocational Education Committee (VEC) structure.