Revised VEC merger plan unveiled

The Government has confirmed it is to proceed with plans to cut the number of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) by more than half.

However, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said today the Cabinet had approved a revised plan to that announced by the former Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition last October.

Currently there are 27 county, five city and one borough committee – each with their own administrative structure. Under the new arrangement the number of VECs will be reduced from 33 to 16 through the amalgamation of smaller committees.

The previous government had also announced its intention to cut the number of VECs to 16 but that plan involved different mergers to those confirmed today.

Mr Quinn said he believed the revised plan was "more appropriate" and took into consideration concerns expressed by the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) over the initial reconfiguration.

"The peripheral position of Kerry is now recognised, the merger of the two Tipperary VECs will be more cohesive in a county context and the merger of Cork City and County VECs aligns the position in Cork with that planned for Limerick, Waterford and Galway,” said Mr Quinn of the new plan.

Under the new arrangement, Co Dublin and Dún Laoghaire VECs are to be merged into one organisation as are the Co Clare and Limerick city and county VECs.

Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim VECs are also to merge as will North and South Tipperary.

Other mergers including Co Cavan and Co Monaghan VECs and Co Longford and Co Westmeath VECs.

Co Wexford VEC is to merge with the Waterford city and county VECs while Roscommon and the Galway city and country VECs will do likewise.

Other mergers announced include Co Louth and Meath VECs, and Co Kildare and Co Wicklow VECs.

Mr Quinn also indicated that legislation to bring about the changes was being prepared and that it would involve the consolidation of the provisions of the existing nine Vocational Acts into one new bill.

“This new Bill will reflect the important role which these new entities will play in relation to education and training in the future,” he said.

The 16 revised VEC areas are as follows:

City of Dublin

City of Cork and Co. Cork

Co. Dublin and Dun Laoghaire

City of Limerick, Co. Limerick and Co. Clare

Co. Donegal

Co. Kerry

Co. Tipperary North and South

City of Waterford, Co. Waterford and Co. Wexford

City of Galway, Co. Galway and Co. Roscommon

Co. Mayo, Co. Sligo and Co. Leitrim

Co. Cavan and Co. Monaghan

Co. Louth and Co. Meath

Co. Longford and Co. Westmeath

Co. Laois and Co. Offaly

Co. Kildare and Co. Wicklow

Co. Kilkenny and Co. Carlow