The present Fine Gael/Labour Government has announced that is to press ahead with halving the number of current Vocational Education Committees (VECs) across Ireland & to this end has published plans to reduce the current number of such establishments from 33 down to 16.
VEC’s provides a comprehensive range of educational services to meet the needs of a wide spectrum of learners throughout the country. Amongst these services the Committees provide Literacy Service and support Community as well as workplace education with County Councils, the Health Service Executive (H.S.E.), FÁS, and other agencies.
They also provide Youthreach and Youthreach Progression services, Vocational Training Opportunities Schemes (VTOS), Back To Education Initiatives (BTEI), A Schools Completion Programme, Traveller Education and an Adult Education Guidance and Information Service.
First muted in 2010 by Fianna Fáil’s Tánaiste and then Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan, current Labour Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn has now stated that legislation to give effect to the changes was presently being prepared.
Co Tipperary’s currently run two VECs will now be combined into one, as part of these new changes, and overall national plans are expected to differ with regard to mergers planned by the previous government.
It has yet to be decided where the new headquarters of these newly configured VECs will be located.
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