Irish Vocational Education Association

Statement by Michael Moriarty, General Secretary of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) representing Vocational Education Committees

The publication of the Heads of Bill for the proposed sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs) which are to replace the current thirty-three VECs, and which has been expected for some time, proposes the consolidation of nine current pieces of Vocational Education legislation into one new Act.

IVEA welcomes the fact that Minister Quinn has referred the Bill to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education in the first instance as this will afford an opportunity to debate the provisions of the Bill from the outset.

The Bill proposes to establish the ETBs with more varied and enhanced functions than are attached to the current VECs. While the Bill will allow the Minister to add to the functions of the ETBs over time, there is now a provision in the Bill for the Boards to assist and provide supports to other providers or schools not under the patronage of VECs. Such entities may opt to accept or decline these services. This provision is significant as VECs already actively secure savings on the cost of provisions, including utilities, through the operation of a procurement service which could be of benefit to all schools and colleges.

The ETBs will play a crucial role as new statutory local education authorities, implementing government policy and delivering education and training programmes in accordance with that policy. Significantly, ETBs will also deliver the further education and training programmes under SOLAS when the new Further Education and Training Sector is established. These two initiatives, the establishment of ETBs and the establishment of a Further Education and Training sector under SOLAS (with ETBs delivering the training), represent the most profound reformation of education and training since the 1930s.

IVEA is disappointed, however, with the provisions that significantly reduce the size of the membership of the Board, compared with the size of the membership of the present committees of VECs. In efficiency terms this may seem logical, but this proposal, if implemented, will result in the sundering of any meaningful links with the local communities. The ETB, which will represent catchment areas of two or three counties, will now only have ten local authority representatives and four community representatives to give a voice to the communities across those counties.

IVEA will work with the Minister and the Oireachtas Committee over the next few months and will highlight where improvements can be made to the proposals as outlined in the Bill. We will consult further with VECs in this regard.

Overall, IVEA welcomes the new consolidated legislation which can establish ETBs as a strong, vibrant middle tier structure in the Irish education system. In a world of fast moving technology and a work environment where skills will needed to be constantly updated, the ETBs will be a vital cog in the wheel when it comes to ensuring that the education system can respond with speed and certainty to the challenge of constant change.

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© IVEA 2012