Irish Vocational Education Association

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IVEA Welcomes The Flexibility Provisions In The Public Service Agreement Proposals
31 March 2010
The proposals published today for public sector reform and the reform of the education sector are welcomed by the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA), the representative body for Ireland's thirty-three Vocational Education Committees (VECs). IVEA General Secretary Michael Moriarty states:

"The terms agreed between the parties will allow school management to have considerable flexibility and discretion in the effective utilisation of resources. The agreed additional teacher hour per week will be a considerable boost for school management in providing educational programmes."

"While the VEC sector has its own redeployment scheme, the proposed cross-sectoral redeployment scheme should considerably enhance schools' capacity to deliver a full curriculum, as this scheme will allow schools to maximise resources in a local context. The scheme will hopefully lead to greater cooperation between schools in a particular catchment area."

In respect of the review of teaching contracts, Mr Moriarty states:

"The lack of a defined written statement in respect of teachers' duties and responsibilities and contractual relationship with employers has given rise to HR difficulties in the past. Both teachers and school management authorities will benefit by the development of clearly set out terms and conditions of employment as well as clarity in respect of the professional teaching and duty-of-care obligations."

"Both unions and management must engage in constructive negotiations to prepare a comprehensive contract between employer and employees."

Mr Moriarty also welcomes the commitment to the shared services model for Vocational Education Committees. He states:

"Member VECs are already well advanced in implementing a shared services model in the areas of student support, procurement and purchasing, and ICT. Co-operation between individual VECs has been considerably enhanced over the past two years, and is already reflected in both savings to VECs and enhancement to public services."

Commenting on the proposed redeployment arrangement for administrative staffing grades, Mr Moriarty comments:

"The redeployment of staff between statutory bodies at local authority level will be hugely beneficial for both customers and deliverers of public services. For example, when processing student grants creates huge pressure on VEC staff, the capacity to acquire additional administrative resources locally is now a realisable objective. IVEA wholeheartedly supports this initiative as an outstanding example of public service transformation."

The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) is the representative body for the 33 Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) in Ireland, and works to protect, promote and enhance the interests of vocational education and training within the wider education sector and the country at large.
VEC/PLC Colleges have developed a range of programmes and courses in response to the needs of industry and commerce which are certified by FETAC at levels 3 to 6, and by the professional bodies which set standards for entry into the professions.
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