More than 200 parents in Co Monaghan are calling for immediate action to be taken by the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, over the circumstances which have led to the premature resignation of a long-serving college principal.
A parents' association representing some 600 students at Inver College in Carrickmacross has called for the replacement of the Chief Executive Officer of Co Monaghan VEC, Mr Larry McCluskey, and for the resignation of members of the VEC representing the South Monaghan area.
At a meeting in Carrickmacross yesterday, it was also decided to call a mass public rally at the Phoenix Sports Centre in the town within the next few weeks, to which the general public and all past pupils of the college during the 39 years service of the former college principal, Mr Pat Drury, are being invited.
During the three-hour meeting last night, Mr Drury outlined what he described as his reasons for tendering his resignation six years before official retirement.
He said he had sought a 15-day release for a special Department of Education course for the introduction of new subjects but, despite his long and dedicated service to the Co Monaghan VEC, he was refused the release by Mr McCluskey.
Yesterday, Mr McCluskey rejected claims that he or Co Monaghan VEC had acted harshly in refusing the college principal the time off which he had requested.