The Deputy is of course aware of the Government decision to implement a recruitment and promotion moratorium in the public sector. In respect of Vocational Education Committees, positions other than teacher and SNA posts in schools, and teacher equivalents that are directly providing tuition to pupils in schools, in special programmes or in an adult and further education, are comprehended by this decision.
The deployment of administrative staff to any particular task is a matter for the management of County Wexford VEC.
My Department has been informed that there is a vacancy at Grade VI level in the section dealing with student grant applications in County Wexford VEC. My officials have been informed by the VEC that the following functions have been somewhat affected by the non-filling of that vacancy: — Appeals, payment runs, overseeing of statistical returns to my Department and business planning for the section.