Report to recommend merging of many VECs

UP TO one third of the 38 vocational education committees (VECs) in the State should he shut down, a major new report is expected to recommend today.

Many smaller county VECs and all five town VECs should be amalgamated with larger neighbours, according to the report prepared for the Minister for Education.

The report, to be published today, is also expected to recommend a significant reduction in the number of politicians on the VECs, in favour of educational and other non political nominees. At present, the committees are dominated by local politicians, who then co opt other members.

The report's recommendations are likely to be hotly contested by the VECs themselves, which have been fighting a rearguard action against the Minister for Education's plans to introduce new regional education boards which would largely supersede the county based VECs.

The town VECs which would be affected are in Bray, Drogheda, Sligo, Tralee and Wexford. The smaller county VECs would be merged with those in neighbouring counties.

The report has been drawn up by a working group of the school accommodation committee established last December. The chairman is Mr Frank Murray former general secretary of the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools.

It is understood that Ms Breathnach received a copy of the report within the past week. The main committee will discuss its findings at a meeting in Dublin today.

Ms Breathnach has promised that the VEC system will be rationalised before the 10 new boards are introduced. The White Paper on Education published last year argued that many of the existing VECs were too small to be cost effective.

The VECs claim support from politicians in all parties for their campaign against rationalisation. Local committees are regarded by politicians as useful springboards to careers in national politics. In addition, members are paid travelling and other expenses for their involvement.